Mary’s Minute
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people
will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Whether
for the good or bad our memories often revolve around feelings. When we reflect upon people whose paths we
have crossed, we may subconsciously smile or scowl. Sometimes we do not even know what it is
about the person that makes us remember them as, “nice,” but the feeling is
there. We remember the feeling, but the
emotion is based upon words and actions.
In other words, what we say and what we do, matters. What we say to people and how we treat people
leaves a lasting impression. When we say
kind things, when we listen actively, when we smile – we make people feel
accepted and cared about. This is true
for our students who we see daily and sometimes a stranger who we give a kind
word and a smile. Our words and actions
are based on decisions – often split second decisions about what we will say or
do in any given situation. Those
decisions have lasting impressions.
Theodore Roosevelt put it in a slightly different way when he said, “Nobody
cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Feelings are the intangible result, but also
the impetus for our behaviors. At Perry
Central we care – and it shows in our teachers and staff members interact with
students. Our students may not remember
what we say or what we do, but long-term they will remember how we made them
feel.
Have a great week!
Mary
