I was challenged by my good friend and fellow NSTOY, Jay Maebori, to the Seven days of gratitude challenge. I figured this would be something I am able to do as it does not involve hoisting a bucket of water over my head…which is impossible at this point. To tell you the truth, seven days is not enough. After checking my friends list of Facebook earlier this evening I can say for a fact that I have 770 reasons to be grateful. Each person on my FB list has made a positive impact my life in one way or another. As you all know, my favorite quote comes from the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, when Clarence wrote the following in George Bailey’s Bible, “No man is a failure who has friends. Therefore, I will be approaching this challenge from somewhat of a different perspective. 1. I am grateful for human courage. It’s what sets extraordinary people apart from everyday people. To my good friend Julie Goodman Marshall, you are my hero. Although you are in the fight of your life, your courage in the face of the unknown serves as an inspiration to those of us whose minor battles in life may be beating us down. Go Julie, Go! 2. I am grateful for humility. The dictionary defines this word as modesty or respectfulness. You can also think of it as being humble, modest, or meek. But if I were Webster, in place of the definition I would simply write, “See Jay Maebori.” Jay ‘s life reflects the true meaning and spirit of the word. Jay’s life reminds us not to forget the simple things in life; things that really matter, like Sunday dinner with loved ones, and watching a movie on TV. Jay, I am truly grateful that you are a part of my life. You have shown me the importance of slowing down and taking time to smell the roses. 3. I am grateful for conviction; that firmly held belief in what is right despite others heckling you or laughing in your face. Winston Churchill once said, “You have enemies? Good. That means youve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” The one person who truly epitomizes the true meaning of this word is my dear friend, Dave Shobe. I was blessed to have Dave take me under his wing when I first started teaching. Through the years he continually reminded me of the need to stand up for what is right, and then do the right thing. Dave is a leader who leads by example. During his tenure as Principal at Harmony Elementary, Dave knew the direction the school needed to go. Although some of his decisions were not the most popular, he stayed true to the course as his decisions were always made with the most important people in mind…his students. Dave, thank you for modeling and teaching me the true meaning of conviction.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 06:18:57 +0000
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