Caring

Recently I had the opportunity to observe a few classrooms in an urban school district. What I witnessed was the tremendous amount of care and concern each teacher exhibited for their students. I have always believed in the old adage, They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. I am not sure who to attribute this quote to, there are many that claim it, but I do know for sure, that I truly believe in the words. These teachers believed in their students and set high expectations for each one of them. My dad used to say that if someone picks at you, not bullying, then they care about you. A friend was picking at me about a situation recently and I didn't "pick up" on the picking part. Well, needless to say, my feelings were just a little hurt. All it took was for them to tell me they were just "messing" with me and a smile came right back. That experience started me thinking about how I react each day to those around me. Even as an adult, it is important that I let those around me know how much I care about them, whether it is the bag person at the local Kroger or the custodian cleaning the school. A smile doesn't cost a thing and it shows that you care enough to notice and to offer a small part of you to others.