Be Someone...

Today I wore this shirt...

...and asked my kids to reflect upon the quote for a while. I asked them to think about who they've been, who they are, and who they really want to be. I handed out their journals and had them write down the quote and honestly examine it in terms of their hearts and lives. I was surprised and delighted when an incredible hush fell over my room and my students began to write....and write...and write. Since they were putting so much effort into it, I decided to respond to the quote as well so that I could share my thoughts with them. We had a pretty awesome discussion after we finished writing.

This is what I wrote:

Be someone who makes someone else look forward to tomorrow.

In reflecting upon this quote, I am reminded that I am always an example. Sometimes I am a good, positive example, and unfortunately, sometimes I am a negative, poor example. Which do I want to be? Of course, I want to be the good, positive example. I want people to look at me and see my integrity and know what I believe, but it’s a struggle every day. I have to wake up each morning and decide to live with integrity. I have to decide every day who I am going to be. Most mornings, I am more focused on rolling out of bed, getting myself ready, and the intensity of the day before me. But, I am reminded today that I need to stop and focus in the morning. I need to pause and decide each day who I am going to be. If I don’t, I can easily turn into the negative and poor example. I can all too easily turn into someone with a bad attitude, someone who falls into gossip or selfishness, someone who cares more about making my own day than making someone else’s. And that’s not who I want to be! I want to be a smiling face, a warm hug, a positive word. I want others to wake up in the morning and be glad that they get to come to Warren Junior High because it’s a place where they feel safe and loved and protected. I want to show my students that there IS another way, that it IS possible to make the right choices, that it IS possible to stand above the line. I want to be someone that makes someone else look forward to tomorrow.

So, who do YOU want to be?