4/25/2014

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.”

― Maya Angelou

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