How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

“Why must you always do the right thing?” Peter yelled at Nancy as she stepped outside her classroom after handing out several books and other school supplies to a group of children inside.

“What kind of stupid question is that for an educated professional?” Nancy’s anger demanded, glaring at him in shock.

“Whenever they need something, they come to you,” he shouted as they strolled towards the staff room. “You are their go-to person for everything right and wrong.”

“Why are you shouting?” she asked, halting her short strides. “Are you aware that the children and others can hear you?”

“You are making it bad for other teachers here,” he went on.

“How? By being kind to the children we teach?” Her anger erupted. “They rely on us for more than education. We as teachers wear many hats. You have been in this profession longer than I have. You know that our roles don’t stick to books and pencils!”

“You never say no to any of them. And when any other teacher tells them no, their first response always is, “Miss Anderson would help us; she is kind to all of us. She would never say no. She is kinder than all of you.”

Nancy sighed, then explained, “As teachers, parents, doctors, nurses, no matter our profession, we are examples for everyone we come in contact with, especially our children. Here,” she stressed, pointing to the ground with her index finger, “we are examples to every child. Whether we teach them or not, everything we do and say will impact their lives. They are watching us. They will imitate us too, so our actions, choices, decisions, intentions, what we do and say, must be positive and good. We are role models for God’s sake!” Her anger increased.

“I know that,” he defended. “But you can’t go around saying yes for everything. They will believe life is always easy so they don’t have to try so hard.”

“A child needs help. Their parents can’t assist them in certain ways that I can. Our world is raging in hell. It’s not the best time to be a child. I should throw that child to the fire and hell of life?”

Nodding in frustration, he continued his defense, “You don’t see them taking advantage of you?”

“I am a mother, Pete! I have children. A child needs help; I must help them,” she earnestly said.

“They must know that yes and no is part of our world. They are taking advantage of you,” he stressed

“I am aware, and I talk to them whenever they step out of line. When these children leave here, how we react with them will be remembered. Depending on how we react, it will help or hinder them. Everything we do for them, to them, and with them can heal or harm them. When working with children, your best is the right thing to give them,” she counsels.

“Our world is changing, Nancy. These are a different breed of children,” his frustration lessens. “Their thinking and behavior are different from ours.”

“Come on, Pete, we went into teaching to change the world through children. You forget? Don’t let the world change you. The effects of what we do and how we interact with them, with our good intentions, will be the same, if not better.”

Nodding, while sighing, he took a long breath, then said, staring into her eyes deeply, “Change the world, ah?”

“They need our best, Peter. Through them we really can change the world. They are our best link to a better world.”

Yes, every human on the planet can change our world just by giving their best, not only to children, but to everyone they come in contact with. I say children are the best link to try and change our world. But it depends on how the message is delivered.

 Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it.