~just watch and see~
I learned a lesson about vanity yesterday and when I realized what had happened, it smacked me right in the face. It took me back to a time long ago when I was just a little girl, and the memory of it seemed as fresh as the day it happened in December of 1966. It was the night of the Christmas program at Haven Grade School, a special event in the time of any child's life.
That afternoon as soon as school was dismissed, we kids all climbed on Floyd King's school bus for the journey home. Everyone was talking and excited about the program that evening. I heard all kinds of chatter about everyone's parents and grandparents, as well as uncles and aunts who were coming to see them sing and do the play. I remember staying quiet about it all because I knew my parents wouldn't be able to come. My mom was working as a waitress in a town about 25 miles away from home and my dad would be picking her up from work just about the moment in the program that our class of 5th graders began to sing. At the time, Mom could not afford to miss work so she didn't bother to ask for the night off. It was disappointing to me that no one from my family would be there to see us that evening, but economics was economics.
I was child number 6 out of 7.
There were hungry mouths to feed.
When I opened the door to our house, the very first sight I encountered was a note from Mom telling me that she had washed and ironed my best dress and that it was hanging up by the living room door. She wanted me to wear it for the program that night. It was there that I saw it, a dress passed down to me second-hand from a cousin. That little blue and green plaid dress was my best one and she knew I would look pretty in it. But when I looked at the dress carefully, I noticed something quite different about it. On the Peter Pan collar, Mom had secured one of her very best pins to decorate it up a bit. I couldn't believe it! She was letting a 10-year old use one of the nicest pieces of jewelry that she called her own.
All of a sudden, that hand-me-down dress became a thing of beauty and style to me. Even though I knew that all the other girls would be wearing brand new holiday dresses, I didn't figure any of them would be wearing a piece of their mother's best jewelry.
And you know what?
None of them did.
Fast forward to yesterday and the new teacher's luncheon at the Ponca City Country Club. It was a wonderful occasion and a tradition in our district. Kind and benevolent folks from our Chamber of Commerce host it for all the teachers that are new to Ponca City Public Schools. I knew that we should dress nicely and as someone who literally has never been to a country club before, I began to feel quite anxious. I knew that my clothes closet was getting a little sparse and since I'm trying to shed some pounds I hadn't bought anything new. My ownership of a dress ceased back about 10 years ago and to be honest, I haven't put a pair of pantyhose on since the late '90s. What in the world would I do? Everyone else would be dressed nicely and I was sure that no matter what I chose, I would stick out like that proverbial sore thumb.
Two trips to town in order to look for something to wear, one of them with poor Mike, brought nothing to mind. I was discouraged at the lack of clothing selections for short women of my age and body build. On the way out of the last store, I seriously announced to Mike.....
It was my principal who made the comment that turned my stinking way of thinking around yesterday. She looked at me with a smile on her face and said,
As a teacher, I wonder how many students I have had over the years who felt the very same way about their clothing choices. How many chances have I missed to tell a student how nice they looked that day? How many kids were wearing the very best they had even though their clothing was quite worn? My guess is that the number would be very humbling to know.
I'm going to be teaching my new class of students about the art of being bucket fillers. I plan to ask them to be more aware of the kids around them, not just in our class but in all of the school as well. And hey, why stop with just the kids at school? I'm going to encourage them to do the same for anyone they meet out there. I want to encourage them to find kids just like the little girl I once was, kids who need that extra shot of kindness to boost their self esteem.
There are plenty of folks out there just waiting to tear other folks down with negative talk.
My fifth graders and I are out to negate their comments and add some positive ones of our own.
Just watch and see us do it.
That afternoon as soon as school was dismissed, we kids all climbed on Floyd King's school bus for the journey home. Everyone was talking and excited about the program that evening. I heard all kinds of chatter about everyone's parents and grandparents, as well as uncles and aunts who were coming to see them sing and do the play. I remember staying quiet about it all because I knew my parents wouldn't be able to come. My mom was working as a waitress in a town about 25 miles away from home and my dad would be picking her up from work just about the moment in the program that our class of 5th graders began to sing. At the time, Mom could not afford to miss work so she didn't bother to ask for the night off. It was disappointing to me that no one from my family would be there to see us that evening, but economics was economics.
I was child number 6 out of 7.
There were hungry mouths to feed.
When I opened the door to our house, the very first sight I encountered was a note from Mom telling me that she had washed and ironed my best dress and that it was hanging up by the living room door. She wanted me to wear it for the program that night. It was there that I saw it, a dress passed down to me second-hand from a cousin. That little blue and green plaid dress was my best one and she knew I would look pretty in it. But when I looked at the dress carefully, I noticed something quite different about it. On the Peter Pan collar, Mom had secured one of her very best pins to decorate it up a bit. I couldn't believe it! She was letting a 10-year old use one of the nicest pieces of jewelry that she called her own.
All of a sudden, that hand-me-down dress became a thing of beauty and style to me. Even though I knew that all the other girls would be wearing brand new holiday dresses, I didn't figure any of them would be wearing a piece of their mother's best jewelry.
And you know what?
None of them did.
Fast forward to yesterday and the new teacher's luncheon at the Ponca City Country Club. It was a wonderful occasion and a tradition in our district. Kind and benevolent folks from our Chamber of Commerce host it for all the teachers that are new to Ponca City Public Schools. I knew that we should dress nicely and as someone who literally has never been to a country club before, I began to feel quite anxious. I knew that my clothes closet was getting a little sparse and since I'm trying to shed some pounds I hadn't bought anything new. My ownership of a dress ceased back about 10 years ago and to be honest, I haven't put a pair of pantyhose on since the late '90s. What in the world would I do? Everyone else would be dressed nicely and I was sure that no matter what I chose, I would stick out like that proverbial sore thumb.
Two trips to town in order to look for something to wear, one of them with poor Mike, brought nothing to mind. I was discouraged at the lack of clothing selections for short women of my age and body build. On the way out of the last store, I seriously announced to Mike.....
"I am going to start my own clothing line and I'm going to call it "clothes for normal women!"Yesterday morning as I prepared for the day, I got into my closet and pulled out what I thought was the best that I had to choose from. It was pretty simple looking but I did what my mom had done that Christmas program evening and added some jewelry that I seldom wear any more. I felt comfortable enough wearing that outfit and so off I went.
It was my principal who made the comment that turned my stinking way of thinking around yesterday. She looked at me with a smile on her face and said,
"Now YOU look like you are ready for the country club!"Just one sentence that was sincerely said made the difference in my day. My more than half empty bucket that reflects how I perceive myself to be was filled by a woman who didn't realize the good that she was doing. I went to that luncheon blanketed by the assurance that I looked just fine, and it was a lovely time.
As a teacher, I wonder how many students I have had over the years who felt the very same way about their clothing choices. How many chances have I missed to tell a student how nice they looked that day? How many kids were wearing the very best they had even though their clothing was quite worn? My guess is that the number would be very humbling to know.
I'm going to be teaching my new class of students about the art of being bucket fillers. I plan to ask them to be more aware of the kids around them, not just in our class but in all of the school as well. And hey, why stop with just the kids at school? I'm going to encourage them to do the same for anyone they meet out there. I want to encourage them to find kids just like the little girl I once was, kids who need that extra shot of kindness to boost their self esteem.
There are plenty of folks out there just waiting to tear other folks down with negative talk.
My fifth graders and I are out to negate their comments and add some positive ones of our own.
Just watch and see us do it.
She was quiet and very shy, always worrying about things. I'm so thankful for all the people who watched out for the little girl that I used to be. A huge village helped to raise me because my folks could not do it all alone. When you stop to think of it, none of us can. We need each other to keep encouraging us all along the way. I know where my village was and that's why I always call Haven, Kansas my hometown.
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