When Love Has Everything to Do With It.
So I haven't been able to carve out time in quite a while to blog and I am not happy about that. Things have been so incredibly busy, and positively so! I had the most incredible experience this summer in Tanzania (a future post will go into more detail about this 30-day immersive experience). However I will say that while there I was reminded of the fact that heart connections can be and should be made as it drives us to act if we truly know love. It's easy to say I love you, but it means something altogether different when you have an experience that reinforces or deepens that said love. Needless to say, Tanzania ignited (or heightened the flame) of a love in me to help, encourage and motivate others. Likewise yesterday, our school hosted its annual Meet the Teacher, which is the chance to bring in and drop of school supplies, as well as get important information regarding the start of school and to meet the teachers. While I had the grand opportunity to meet most of the students that would make up my homeroom class this year, many of them being new to the school, I was overwhelmed by what I would call heart-throbbing experience.
You might say that you really don't know your full impact as a teacher until after you've taught them and the students have moved on. Likewise some might say that you will never fully know the totality of your impact as an educator. However, one thing is certain. Love has everything to do with it. I made it a point to count how many of my previous students who have either moved onto middle school (while still at our school) or who have gone on to high school with siblings attending our school who came to visit and say hello. By the way if you were curious, I counted 27. Even some of the new students offered hugs.
I was completely consumed by the reciprocated love I felt from my students, the countless renderings of heartfelt hugs and the fact they hung out, felt no need to rush and leave but we're completely comfortable there, and their parents either joined them or checked in on them all the while, knowing that they were okay. A couple students needed some reinforcement that they would be okay and shine and do well in middle school and then I felt honored that they would be able to lean on me for support and encouragement even beyond the classroom.
All things considered, I believe that the proof is in the pudding. When you show them love, not only will you have an irreplaceable impact in their lives, it will come back to you time and time again, a reminder #theYinYou and the reason why we must continue to #CLIMBE. If you have not yet had the chance to grab a copy of my first solo book, please do so on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
The title is "Journey to the 'Y' in You." It speaks volumes. See the links below. Take care and remember that love truly has EVERYTHING to do with it! See you soon!