It's funny how words said to another, at any age, can leave an impact. I've written before about this idea before but need to take the time to share how two different sentences spoken my way this weekend impacted me.
Sentence #1
Let me be clear up front. I stink at small talk and have developing skills in the "mingling" department. I do my best but it is not something I am good at. Never have been. Might get better someday but I'm not there yet. I was with a group of educators and one of my dearest colleagues was introducing me to the group that had gathered. He's an enthusiastic and supportive friend. He went on to tell some of the members in the group about the honor of my being the 2015 NYS Middle School Principal of the Year for SAANYS/NASSP. It was kind of him and a round of sincere congratulations followed. However, a short time later, one of the gentlemen asked me...
"So, how's that work? That award. Did you nominate yourself?".
Ouch.
I immediately wondered what about me did he interpret that to be true. He was likely joking but I didn't get the humor. I explained the process to him and refuted his question. "No, I didn't nominate myself. Some of my teachers and colleagues did. That's what begins the process. " Our conversation continued and ended on a positive note.
But, that sentence...it stuck with me.
Sentence #2
I had the chance to speak at a conference and decided out of all the things I could talk about, I would just tell a story. There was little that was academic in my talk but I did take a leap and share how one teacher made a difference in my life and it grew from there. I tried to use the talk to celebrate the good, real work I knew educators were doing all over. Simply, I spoke from the heart.
Later that morning, a woman approached me with tears in her eyes. She introduced herself and went on to explain...
"I have a student that is moving to your district and I was so worried about him before today. Now, after hearing you, I know he'll be okay."
We went on to talk about how incredible it was that the Universe had allowed our paths to cross. We made a plan to keep in touch about the student and I assured her my team would take good care of this amazing young man.
Her sentence and her tears about this student....that stuck with me too.
So, now I'm in the office on a Sunday morning trying to catch up from a whirlwind week last week and I'm thinking about words. If I'm an adult and words still stick with me, what about all the words kids hear? They must still stick too.
That has me thinking about my own word use. What kind of words am I leaving others to think about days later?
It's a wake up call to do better this week. I want to to be the one that leaves words that fill a heart. We can pretend all we want that "stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." It's simply not true.
Sentence #1
Let me be clear up front. I stink at small talk and have developing skills in the "mingling" department. I do my best but it is not something I am good at. Never have been. Might get better someday but I'm not there yet. I was with a group of educators and one of my dearest colleagues was introducing me to the group that had gathered. He's an enthusiastic and supportive friend. He went on to tell some of the members in the group about the honor of my being the 2015 NYS Middle School Principal of the Year for SAANYS/NASSP. It was kind of him and a round of sincere congratulations followed. However, a short time later, one of the gentlemen asked me...
"So, how's that work? That award. Did you nominate yourself?".
Ouch.
I immediately wondered what about me did he interpret that to be true. He was likely joking but I didn't get the humor. I explained the process to him and refuted his question. "No, I didn't nominate myself. Some of my teachers and colleagues did. That's what begins the process. " Our conversation continued and ended on a positive note.
But, that sentence...it stuck with me.
Sentence #2
I had the chance to speak at a conference and decided out of all the things I could talk about, I would just tell a story. There was little that was academic in my talk but I did take a leap and share how one teacher made a difference in my life and it grew from there. I tried to use the talk to celebrate the good, real work I knew educators were doing all over. Simply, I spoke from the heart.
Later that morning, a woman approached me with tears in her eyes. She introduced herself and went on to explain...
"I have a student that is moving to your district and I was so worried about him before today. Now, after hearing you, I know he'll be okay."
We went on to talk about how incredible it was that the Universe had allowed our paths to cross. We made a plan to keep in touch about the student and I assured her my team would take good care of this amazing young man.
Her sentence and her tears about this student....that stuck with me too.
So, now I'm in the office on a Sunday morning trying to catch up from a whirlwind week last week and I'm thinking about words. If I'm an adult and words still stick with me, what about all the words kids hear? They must still stick too.
That has me thinking about my own word use. What kind of words am I leaving others to think about days later?
It's a wake up call to do better this week. I want to to be the one that leaves words that fill a heart. We can pretend all we want that "stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." It's simply not true.
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I agree. Words definitely stick with me. The ones that I say to others as well as the ones said to me. It is definitely something I try to be aware of in my everyday interactions with others.
ReplyDeleteWith a 9 yo I am becoming more aware that words stick no matter your intention. Reminds me to pay attention because once it's out, you really can't take them back.
ReplyDelete