Just a Little Encouragement

 Well, our sweet, adorable (b) has found his walking feet and is starting to take several steps.  I love watching him toddle around, I love how resilient he is with each fall and how persistent he is to get up again over and over.  But the part that is the absolute BEST (in my mama opinion) is how much he cheers and claps for himself over the accomplishment.  Even if it was just 2 or 3 steps, when he finishes, or falls down he wears the biggest smile and begins clapping and waving his arms victoriously.  Now, I realize this is because he sees and hears us cheering and clapping for him and his accomplishment, but as I watch I see that sometimes he even gets up and tries again JUST so we will cheer and clap for him.  Just a little encouragement is some pretty powerful motivation when you are one.

 

But I will be honest, just a little encouragement can be pretty powerful motivation when you are older than one, too.  A few weeks ago, I created and shared an Amazon wish list for my classroom, and as the list items were purchased and boxes started showing up, I was completely overcome with emotions.  There were wonderful treasurers for my classroom and my students, but even better still were the notes of love and encouragement that arrived in those boxes.  Feeling the support from SO many friends, family members, classroom parents, former teachers of mine, and former colleagues had tears of joy running down my face with each box opened.  That encouragement made the beginning of an uncertain school year more certain of a few things- I became certain that I COULD do hard things, and certain that I was covered in prayer.

 

I would be lying if I said the start of this school year has been smooth.  Truthfully it has been anything but smooth, and some of the hardest bumps I never even saw coming.  But with each bump, when I wasn’t even sure WHAT to feel- I was quickly met with encouragement- most that I never even saw coming.  Friends sending or showing up with care packages, an incredibly thoughtful anonymous gift, calls and texts just to check-in.  They have all kept me moving forward, looking for silver linings, and reminding me I will get this figured out, and I will find ways to thrive amid uncertainty. 

 

And so I will keep clapping and cheering for my little walker, doing happy dances and sprinkling invisible glitter and fairy dust towards my students (cause, you know high-fives and such are out this year), reminding my husband he is a rockstar for keeping things rolling in our home, and telling students’ parents that “together, we’ve got this!”  Because I have felt the blessings of a little encouragement… and I can’t help but pass it on.

 

“Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”  1 Thessalonians 5:11