Loneliness

Today while teaching (I promise not all my entries will have to do with teaching) I encountered a peculiar situation at the end of the day. I was again subbing in Kindergarten, and at the end of the day, two older kids came into our class to assist with pack-up/dismissal. I saw both of these girls yesterday and everything was fine. Today it looked to me as if one of them had been crying. It soon became evident that she was upset, and even though she was trying to compose herself to read a book to the children, she couldn't pull it together.

I went over to her and said, "Would you like to just go take a minute outside the classroom? Sometimes I just need a minute." She took me up on the offer, stepped into the hallway, sat at a table with tiny chairs, and began to cry. She held her head in her hands and sobbed. I didn't know what to do - I was supposed to be directing kids to pack up for the end of the day, but clearly something was wrong with this girl.

After giving her a few minutes, I went over and said, "It looks to me like you're pretty upset, did something happen?" I didn't expect an answer - I didn't even know her. She spoke up and said, "My best friend said she didn't want to be friends with me because I'm different than everybody else." She began sobbing again. Her face was all red and her hair messed and sticking to the tears on her face. I tried to talk about it more with her, but truly didn't know what to say. I tried to talk to her a little bit about other friends, but then she said, "But she's my ONLY friend. I only have one friend."

Whoa. What do you say to that? I hope it works out? That's too bad? There's more fish in the sea?

Her heartache inspires me. Not in the "Inspiring" way of the previous entries, but more along the lines of a call to action. Her heartache compels me to care for those who are on the outskirts. Her loneliness prompts me to let kids know how special they are. Her tears inspire me to let each person know that it's good to be different, to be unique, to be who you were created to be.

Compliments

A little praise goes a long way. Today I taught in a kindergarten classroom with two other educators. While this is nice to have a smaller child-adult ratio, it's also intimidating as a sub to know if I'll measure up to the other teachers' expectations. After about an hour of teaching, one woman leaned over to me and said, "You are doing such an excellent job with the kids." She had no idea how much that meant to me, and that compliment helped my attitude throughout the day and gave me the confidence to be even more myself while teaching that class.

What a gift a compliment can be. Compliments are inspiring!

Introducing March

My 15 minutes a day in March? Taking note of the things that inspire me. Suggested by a dear friend, I hope this 15 minutes each day not only helps me reflect on the special things in my life, but also brings joy to your life as you read. This is going to be a trickier 15 minutes because it is going to require me to blog regularly (gulp!), and there will be some sense of accountability because you will be able to see exactly when I make my posts (double gulp!). I trust that this month will be good for all of us though.

Today's inspiration - great restaurant ambiance. In the last year, I have come to adore the French Meadow Bakery and Cafe in Minneapolis. There is something special about having dinner there. With lit candles (actual candles, not the battery operated ones) on each table, the restaurant takes on a cozy glow in the evenings. Pleasant wait staff bring out the bread baskets filled with tasty treasures to enjoy over light conversation. The Menu offers so many adventurous choices, it's hard to know whether to go with an old favorite or try something new.

When the food does come, it's truly a work of art. Brilliant colors and creative placement bring a smile with each dish. The first bite is heaven. Those to follow, even better.

There's something magical about it all. I feel so special each time I'm there, and I always have FANTASTIC conversations with those I'm with. We sit for hours, enjoying each other's company. It's hard to believe that life is still really moving all around us outside when the world is so full and peaceful inside.

Each time I go there, I walk away with a renewed appreciation for conversation, an inspiration to try new things and take risks, and a strong desire to return again soon.

Great Restaurant Ambiance. Inspiring!

February Reflections

February was such a fun month for me as I spent 15 minutes a day exercising. It was good for my body and good for my spirits. Most days my exercising was in the form of walks, but other days when I couldn't get my walking done in the daylight, I would work on arm or core exercises at home. It was transforming, and I hope to continue this trend in the months to come. I think that will be easy knowing the weather is only going to get better and better!

The Reward

Some may think the reward for exercising in February is a slimmer waist line, bigger muscles, or even simply feeling better overall.

I think the biggest rewards for exercise are views like this...

Exercise is GOOD!