'LilDude Grows by Leaps & Bounds

Last week, 'LilDude was invited to the Principal's Recognition Breakfast. He was nominated by his teacher who said, "'LilDude has shown good leadership qualities in our classroom. He is kind and respectful to his classmates and his teacher. He completes his work neatly and quickly each day." At the breakfast, he wasn't quite sure what all the hoopla was about. But several times since then, I've watched him quietly go over to the fridge where his award is posted. He touches the paper and reads it to himself. He has worked so, so hard to overcome his difficult start in life. He has probably also felt the pressure to compete with siblings that are years older than him. For 'LilDude, that piece of paper is proof that someone besides Mom and Dad recognizes his inherent value.

At the beginning of the year I told 'LilDude's teacher that it took most of last year to feel comfortable in preschool and that he was apprehensive about this year. Yesterday at school the teacher took me aside to ask me how he was feeling about the year. He loves school. On a daily basis he talks about how fun it is...well, most of the credit goes to playing Spiderman at recess...but that's to be expected when you're 6. During nighttime prayers he's often prayed, "Thank you that I get to go to school tomorrow."

The teacher said that she wanted me to know that she really meant what she said on his award. She said that 'LilDude is the leader in her classroom. The day he was sick she felt like the classroom wasn't the same, that it was missing a crucial person. She went on to say how other kids look to him to know how to function in class. I told her that his preschool teacher wouldn't recognize him as compared to last year.

All this to say...never, ever underestimate the power of a human being to overcome life's difficulties. All of us have a tremendous capacity to grow & change given the right tools.