1000 Voices Speak for Compassion

         

 

 

   

 

 For the 1000 Voices Speak for Compassion Blog-a-thon, I will speak about an area dear to my heart. Anyone who truly knows me will tell you that I have a heart for children. They make me happy. I enjoy their innocence and sincerity. Their world is the focus of my blogging and other writing. As adults we have a tremendous responsibility of shaping the impressionable minds of our youth. We do this best my modeling with our actions.                              



          I want to tell you a story that makes me proud. It's one of a young girl that is very special to me.  I hope others learn from her action of compassion for another.

    Jamie distracts herself by texting on her phone---alone at a table. She's used to being left out by the rest of the freshmen on the team. I watch her with sadness growing in the pit of my stomach. As a leader on the team, I can't stand to see another teammate treated the way she's been. The extra jab in the stomach during practice, the snickers and giggles when she messes up, and this.

  Compassion for her spreads through my chest and pierces my heart.  I pick up my food and join her at the table. "Hey," I say startling her.

  "Oh, hi Kate," she shifts in her seat. Her eyes widen when the rest of girls from my table join us.

  "What's up Jamie?" my friend Sarah grins at her.

"Hi guys," she pushes her glasses up with a smile that reaches her eyes. We talk about nothing really, but keep her company. I feel good that we made her smile, even if only for a little while...

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Own It and Move On

 

 

 

My words left my finger tips before I let my mind process them. I tapped the words and hit send. After a heated text exchange I realized I messed up. I'm soaked in regret wishing I could turn back the clock. I think of the famous quote..."this too shall pass." I pray for God's guidance until it does. And to think, we talk about kids being hasty with technology. I think I just swallowed a super sized helping of my own words.

                                                                                          Signed,
                                                                                  Learning Lessons the Hard Way

Save the Drama for Your Mama



 Inside the stall, I heard giggles and saw three pairs of feet under the door-wearing designer boots. “She is so freaking weird.” I heard one of them say.

“I know right? I heard she kissed that gross Shane Baker with blue lipstick. I don’t care if it was a challenge, that’s nasty.” Another voice said.

“Who’s that girl she’s been hanging out with?” Asked the third voice. I tensed.

 “She’s a new girl.” The first voice said, “I hate to break the news to you Haley. I think Chase likes her. Have you seen the way he looks at her?” My heart flip-flopped.

“Uh uh. There’s no way,” Haley said. “Have you seen her hand? It’s disgusting.”

 Tears sprang into my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed them back. My heart raced. My blood boiled, flowing hot and angry.  I’m ticked! I flung the stall door open. Three heads swiveled in my direction. I stepped up to the sink and washed my hands, purposely shook the water off of them so my right hand was visible, and made eye contact with lemon head, who I now knew was Haley.

 The three girls watch me wide-eyed and silent. I strolled out of the bathroom with my head held high.

Drama, drama, drama. The daily life of a teenager. Rumors, jealously, backstabbing, name calling .....unfortunately these things seem to be a normal part of high school.

 What's shocking to me is when this behavior carries over into adulthood. Grown adults bickering over nonsense,  jealousy of others, and engaging in the "he said, she said".  Ain't nobody got time for that.

 It all makes me want to use my lame come back from my teenage days....Save the Drama for Your Mama.