(In honor of National Poetry Month)
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not ask if I'm having a good day,
to which I will respond with, "Good, and you?"
Instead, ask me if I inspired someone today.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not ask if I had a good weekend.
I'll only respond with, "It was great. How about you?"
Instead, ask me what I did that brought joy to my life and restored my soul.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not ask if it's Friday yet.
I'll just say, "Not yet," and start to wish time away.
Instead, ask me what I've got planned that will engage my students
for the rest of the week.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not ask me how many days until vacation.
I'll say I don't really know. Because I don't.
Instead, ask me if I challenged someone's thinking today.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not roll your eyes and make a comment about "kids."
I will only roll my eyes and make a comment about people that roll their eyes about "kids."
Instead, give me a smile that encourages me to keep going strong.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not tell me how frustrated you are with a student.
I will only get dragged down too.
Instead, tell me how you offered grace and a fresh start to someone who desperately needed it.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not ask if I heard about such-and-such.
If I needed to, I probably would have.
Instead, tell me a story about a student who showed immense courage and compassion.
If we should pass in the hall,
please do not hide what you really need to talk to me about.
Because we will probably never talk about it.
Instead, pull me aside and share what's on your mind. I promise I'll listen.
If we should pass in the hall,
encourage me,
challenge me,
inspire me,
help me,
support me.
And I will do everything that I can to do the same for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment