Date: Wed 4/25/2007 2:52 AM
Random Thought: A Quickie On "53!!!"

This morning I read a final journal entry made by a first year student. All it said was "53!!!" But, it sure does say it all. I must have sat staring motionless at that number for a couple of minutes: staring, thinking, feeling, listening to its fanfare. I admit my eyes got a bit teary and my breathe slowed. I won’t decode the message for you. I will say that it says if you really care, everything you think, feel, and do will resonate with faith, respect, hope, and love. If you really care, it will show up in the way you relate to each student, the student relates to you, and you each relate you yourself. Caring sets the stage for the way you experience the life in the classroom; it gives you the positive and uplifting strength and energy to meet with unwavering commitment and perseverance whatever comes your way; it’s the lens through which you see everything around you; it controls the way you respond to every situation and every person.

You know, all it takes is just one caring thought, just one caring action, just one caring word, just one caring smile, just one caring look. That's all it takes to give a student comfort, confidence, faith, respect, belief, love, happiness. That's all it takes to help someone learn to dare to take the risk, to learn from a mistake, to help open a door, to destroy doubt, to endow love, to instill courage to walk through that door. One caring word, one caring smile, one caring look. That’s not so much. And yet, it is so much. Small things to do, but the transforming results for both teacher and student can be large. Because they're small, anyone can do them,

And, I tell you, there is nothing--nothing--like getting a message like this one and knowing that you're making a difference in someone's life. Nothing can match it. It makes everything worthwhile. It's something to experience.