"When I am mean to people, my heart hurts." The middle school girl sitting across from me has stunned me before with her insight. Yet this phrase resounded with me in a deep way. Too often we, ok, I refuse to take responsibility for my involvement in hurting people around me.
This girl has experienced a deep and painful loss in her young life. Instead of turning bitter and angry she is becoming more and more kind.
It is easy to remember what is difficult about my job. The kids that are stuck in painful places and all I can say is, "well, what can you control?" It is easy to feel like there isn't enough I can do to make sure they are safe in their homes.
Then there are days like that. The days where remarkably a student has made a crucial connection about the way his or her world works. Something small changes, yet their whole world is different.
When I get the profound privilege of witnessing those changes, I am learning to let that remind me that people can change. Kids can find enough strength to survive another day, come to school and actually try in that tough class.
Pessimism is easy. Giving up is easy. Being sad is easy. I think that's why I so often spend time dwelling on sadness. I don't think ignoring it is the answer.
When you are late for work and somehow every light is red. You get so frustrated, how could this possibly be happening, you want to shout. The thing is, that maybe you get that many red lights when you are on time to work too, you just didn't notice.
The good is out there too. Sometimes I just don't notice.
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