Encourage

In an effort tonight to clean out the photos on my trusty pocket cam (AKA iPhone 4) in order to make room for a long overdue update to its software, I came across a photo I took this past summer - one of those extend-the-arm-out-of-socket-self-portrait kind of photos.  It brought a smile to my face as well as a much needed reminder to my heart - encourage someone.

I met these two wonderful ladies a little over twenty years ago.  Okay, I'm taking deep breaths and admitting my age, but I was fresh out of college and ready to tackle the world of education.  I thought I was doing a great job at the time, but looking back through my eyes of age, I did okay.  I would have never known it though because of these two special teachers - my encouragers.

They complimented regularly, guided as necessary, laughed often (with me not at me), taught me by modeling what good teachers do - encourage.

Encourage (verb) 1. give support, confidence, or hope to (someone) 2. give support and advice to (someone) to do or continue something.

Throughout the past twenty-two years, these ladies and I occasionally pick up where we left off, chat over lunch or dinner, laugh out loud, discuss our common interests and take a little time to catch up with each other. They still compliment and guide; they still encourage.

Twenty-two years later, I'm still in a school trying to tackle the education world and hoping to make a difference, a difference, of course, that I may never know has occurred.  I needed this reminder to encourage those that sometimes aren't so easy to encourage.  To encourage without regard to behavior, to encourage even when I don't feel like being encouraging.  To compliment regularly, guide as necessary, laugh with and not at, to teach by modeling what good teachers do - encourage.