A Gift From Heather

I love Creative Solace. I read all her updates and I love her art. It's all beautiful. She sweetly sent me a "thank you" gift for all the comments I've left. She didn't need to. I don't do it for anything other than encouragement. You never know what's going on with a person's day and a smile or a word can go a long way.

This reminds me of a story and it is one I will never forget. I used to volunteer at the elementary school my girls attended. I did it for years. I did many jobs too. I was the librarian for years and that was a bigger job than you would think. Not because I had to order all the books every year because that was a joy. Not because of the days spent with hundreds of children because that was a joy as well. It was because I had 20 or more volunteer mothers to help in the library on schedules they had agreed to and never remembered. I worked more than my share of the hours because so and so would have a hair appointment or forgot to do their laundry or whatever other lame excuse they could come up with. The end of the year inventory would find me and maybe 3 others doing everything. I wouldn't change anything if I could go back. I learned a lot of skills at that job.

I have digressed. I always had a smile for each and every child. They deserved it. Some of the children had horrible home lives and some didn't but they all deserved a smile and I swear to you would not believe how many children's names I learned while there. They liked that. They liked someone saying "Good Morning, Sara." It made them feel loved and important. Anyway, there were some teachers, not many, that took issue with this. Why in the world they did I cannot tell you but they did. One day, I walked down the hall to sign into the office and I did my usual smiles and hellos and a teacher pulled me to the side. A first grade teacher whom both of my girls had the ill luck to have in first grade. These were the exact words said to me "You really put the teachers here to a disadvantage by being all sweet and cheerful to the children every morning and we'd like you to stop." I had a burst of anger and disbelief hit me square in the face. Who had peed in her Cheerios? I said calmly with a smile " I will not stop being cheerful. I will not stop being nice. That may be the only smile they get all day if they have a teacher like you with a bad attitude. What is my smiling and saying hi hurting you? You are here for them and I am too and I don't get paid! I know the power of a smile and I guess you do not!" I told the principal and left to do my job but from them on I killed her with kindness. I smiled at her constantly. There were a couple of others and I did the same. I knew who they were and I smiled all the time. I know the power of a smile and kindness. There are children graduating now that I knew then. When I see them, I get hugs and smiles. So little can mean so much.

Thanks Heather, I love my book and I will treasure it. Your kindness means alot to me.