I LOVE this quote! Madeleine L'Engle is one of my most favorite authors of children's books. Her quote is simple, but quite profound. Love is powerful and it is a word that we use for many things.
I love my wife. I love my children. I absolutely love shrimp tacos! And...Have you ever had Häagen-Dazs mint chocolate chip ice cream?? I LOOOVE that stuff!!!At WoodCreek Elementary (WCE), we talk a lot about how we are a family. As we grow together, we choose to love each other and deepen our relationships. However, we also believe this is not limited to just our staff. This extends to our parents, our community and, of course, our students. Although nobody is perfect, we strive to love each other. This is at the core of what we do each day. As I began to talk to my staff and community about love, I found that everyone seemed to have a different view on love's definition. It makes sense! Our culture and our language is full of references to love that all mean different things. So if the quote above is true, what actions are love? So, in an effort to put us all on the same page, we decided to define it for our school using this excerpt we have entitled, "Love is..."
Love is…Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Why do I even put this much thought and effort into something like love? Well...it is the foundation to everything else we do. It's our starting point and it is what drives us. Who else would work such a challenging job in a public school if they did not love the people they serve? You see, when you love someone, you change their world. It's not about you. Many times, loving someone is taking the hard path that no one prefers to take. But, when those you love do succeed, you find deep joy in their success. So, my aim is to truly love my spouse, my children, my students, my staff and my community. I challenge you to do the same. When you do, just remember...love is not a feeling, it's what you do.
Amen, brother Ronnie, Amen!
ReplyDeleteAll we need is love!
Thanks for sharing Ronnie. When I started teaching a colleague gave me an article by Harry Wong entitled, "Dear Class, I Love You." In the article he shared how he set the tone for his classes by telling him he loved them. I adopted the practice as a teacher and continue to share my heart with the students as the principal. Each year we get meet with all the kids in small grade level groups. I stand in front of them and tell them I am their 'School Dad' and that I love them. It is a powerful act that feels right and allows them to see my human side. Lead on with love Brother Mosher!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that story. I am certain that many of your students don't hear that enough. I wasn't very lovable in school. Some teachers took the time to do what you do each year. It changed my life. Thank you for all you do.
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