Skip to main content

Anonymous Extraordinary-It's The Little Stuff That Matters


This is the second year of being interviewed for the 9th grade English class in our community.   An amazing English teacher started this project last year and then passed it on to the new teacher when she moved.  Wondering if she, Mrs. Helzer, knows the fruit growing from the seedling she left behind?!

This year three young people have interviewed me.  What I find absolutely fascinating are what they have noticed me for.  

What these three students noticed in me...are little things that I would never have claimed as "doing anything" important.  Trust me I'm not in any way, shape or form an extraordinary anything. 

 I really think that is the point of the class.  

Giving the students an opportunity to find out for themselves that being a "Local Anonymous Extraordinary" is all about the little things.   Something that we can all do.

This is why they picked me:

"She helps the wrestling team and makes sure we all eat.  She takes time out of her week to help troubled teens when they need help.  She volunteers to do fun activities that teenagers can enjoy.  She works at church.  She likes kids.  She cheers us on.  She loves her family."

With wrinkled brow,  I thought about their perceptions and just to clarify, I'm not an "official helper" of anything on the wrestling team and it is not I who packs lunches and snacks. 

 But I mother them all (which I thought drove them nuts) and make sure they are drinking and have something to eat.  I check on them and pat them on the back and scream bloody murder when they are on the mat.  I lecture, push and prod.  If they are not going all out, I give them what for!  I make them pick up trash and threaten to wash their mouths out.

You know what I think it is? 

 I believe in each and every one of them and am fully involved.  And you know what, it didn't take money or policy or program or plan...

Remember the lock in that I blogged about?  That is what they remember as well.

Or the messy room at church where I'm just putting one foot in front of the other and tend to feel like a failure...

 Kids are watching our actions and what is and is not important to us.  These little mundane and routine and seemingly unimportant things can GREATLY impact our community.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Starting a Journey

September 3, 2010 Originally posted How to Begin a Journey 1. Pick a destination or simply start. 2. Plan a detailed itinerary or just take the first step. 3. Pack everything or travel lightly. I am choosing to just begin. To leave behind the baggage, pick up a day pack, and go. Several nights before we moved to Ogallala, I was praying about the transition when I heard that still, small voice of God. In that moment, I knew He heard my Heart's Cry. He hears every whispered plea, every unspoken longing. If I truly sit with that truth, it humbles me. What courage, boldness, passion, and decisiveness I have when I remember: He never leaves or forsakes me. He provides for my every need according to His riches in glory. My hope is to encourage you He hears your Heart's Cry too.
2 comments
Read more

1940 Canned Apple Butter: Family Root Cellar

I loved exploration as a child.  From opening the door and going down the stairs to get something from my Grandma's root cellar or exploring old homesteads while checking cows.  I credit my Mom with teaching us to appreciate those things that represented the people who had gone before us. When I moved with my husband and boys to a house on the family ranch-I began exploring immediately.  This was the house my Aunt and Uncle lived in during my childhood.  My Grandparents had lived there and many other families dating back to 1900 when it was built.   With two little boys in tow, I made my way to the root cellar and found a treasure cove.  Old text books belonging to the original family who had been a teacher, the original medicine cupboard, tools, trash and memorabilia.   I felt like an archeologist sifting through layers of debris representing generations and culture.  And I was.  I hauled truckloads of trash to the dump (some...
4 comments
Read more

Diabetes-Opened to Disease OR Open to Connecting to my Strengths

I've tried living in denial for two years after the big D diagnoses was handed over.  Honestly, I just don't want to talk about it.  Outwardly seemly calm and disconnected from it.  Inwardly terrified. As a plant that is stressed is open to disease, injury and death so to our bodies are.  I opened myself up to this.  Stress, lack of sleep, bad nutrition, overweight and lack of exercise.  For some reason I believed that if I ran fast enough and worked hard enough, I would outrun my family genes.  The tiny room in the back of my brain locked with a key has kept the fear of this disease at bay even though I could hear its screaming when life quieted down. My Aunt died piece by piece to this disease.  First a heart attack and quadruple by-pass.  Then a toe.  Next a foot.  Legs came next along with more heart attacks.  Kidneys shutting down.  She died very young. When I was little, my Aunt Ally gave herself s...
4 comments
Read more