If
someone listens or stretches out a hand or whispers a word of
encouragement or attempts to understand a lonely person,
extraordinary things begin to happen.
encouragement or attempts to understand a lonely person,
extraordinary things begin to happen.
Loretta
Firzaris
* * * * *
Today's Meditation:
* * * * *
Today's Meditation:
I've seen this principle over and over again with my high school
students, so much so that I've worked hard to make it a habit to share
encouragement rather than criticism, to listen to needs rather than to give
expectations and judgments. When people hear sincere encouragement--not
cheerleading or the loud, enthusiastic "you can do it!"--they start
to believe in themselves and in their abilities to do things that they might
have doubted previously.
We all have the ability to share such encouragement and understanding every day
of our lives. And we can contribute to the positive side of the world and
start watching the extraordinary things start to happen as a result of our
action, and it's one of the most wonderful feelings in the world to see those
results.
The problem is that very often, the ways that other people act make us want to
put them in their place more than they want us to encourage them or understand
them. What becomes truly important is our decision to be the kind of
person who decides to fill our days with encouragement and understanding of
others, rather than with judgment or simply ignoring others.
People always need encouragement, whether we recognize that need or not.
And we can make great things happen, whether we actually witness those great things
or not--very often they may show up long after we're gone. But that's
okay--we know that we can contribute positively to the lives of others through
our actions, and if we know this, we should simply do so.
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
Why do we so rarely consider what we can contribute to the lives of others when
they need us to do so?
In what ways can you encourage at least two people today? To whom can you
listen and show understanding?
How would you define "extraordinary things" that can happen when you
show caring to another person?
* * * * *
For further thought:
* * * * *
For further thought:
Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world
knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or
encouragement-- and we will make the goal.
knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or
encouragement-- and we will make the goal.
No comments:
Post a Comment