At some point last night, I was a little frazzled and digging through my purse for something. I found this.
She gave it to me on the last day of school, with a distinct "I'm trying not to cry" face. I was struck by her word choice. Why did she say that? I receive notes and pictures pretty often, and they almost always say "I love you" with a picture of the student and I holding hands under a rainbow. Not that I don't appreciate them, but love letters are part of my normal week at work;o)
But to say "I like you just the way you are?" How did she know I needed to read that at that moment and that I (like many of you) need to hear that more often? She got me. She likes me just the way I am...
The way I am typically one or two papers short and have to run to the copier? The way I am consistently 5 minutes late to work (which is still 45 minutes before kids arrive) because I chat too much with Miss C? Is it the way that my house, no matter how often I pick up everything, is still never going to look clean? Maybe how I can't cook a dinner that anyone wants to eat? Or that I am not going to be tan nor am I going to spend money to make myself tan? Those are all my most endearing qualities, you know.
Maybe the reason why this note struck a chord is that I think I may have instilled these words in this child. She may not remember how much a dime is worth or that penguins live at the South Pole, but I have done my job if she knows she is good enough and is able to tell other people the same.
You are good enough. Tell someone.
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| For those of you who do not read phonetic half-cursive writing, it says "I like you just the way you are" |
But to say "I like you just the way you are?" How did she know I needed to read that at that moment and that I (like many of you) need to hear that more often? She got me. She likes me just the way I am...
The way I am typically one or two papers short and have to run to the copier? The way I am consistently 5 minutes late to work (which is still 45 minutes before kids arrive) because I chat too much with Miss C? Is it the way that my house, no matter how often I pick up everything, is still never going to look clean? Maybe how I can't cook a dinner that anyone wants to eat? Or that I am not going to be tan nor am I going to spend money to make myself tan? Those are all my most endearing qualities, you know.
Maybe the reason why this note struck a chord is that I think I may have instilled these words in this child. She may not remember how much a dime is worth or that penguins live at the South Pole, but I have done my job if she knows she is good enough and is able to tell other people the same.
You are good enough. Tell someone.
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