Privilege

I've had a lot of hard things happen the last few days.  I don't really feel like talking about it but I know that people praying and sending positive energy and thoughts my way has helped carry me - and my loved ones through these difficult times.

However, when I feel like I have it hard, I look into the lives of others and find that it's not really that bad.  I spend a lot of time volunteering in my daughter's 4th grade class.  Kids in there come from diverse backgrounds; hard home lives, no home life, abusive situations, broken homes, great homes, stable homes... and it's heartbreaking.  

Arriving on campus, I'm almost greeted like a rockstar.  I guess I volunteer a lot... ha ha!  Kids hug me and say they are happy to see me and hope they get to work with me.  As I work with these kids, they struggle with first grade level words and reading books, they have a hard time with multiplication, and my heart breaks.

I sit at the table with them and tell them, "You're so close!  You've almost got it!  I'm so proud of you!  You're so important!"  - just trying to feed them any bit of positive reinforcement that I can, not knowing when they might hear it again.  They get a high five, or "knuckles", a big smile, or even get to keep my pencil when they walk away... It's the simple things that mean a lot to people... 

People need to know that they matter - no matter how young or old they are... everyone matters.

Please, don't forget to be kind and gentle with those around you.  We all need a little bit of patience and love.  It's a privilege to give it.

Namaste,

Amy