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On Tuesday, we completed our “Where do YOU stand?” activity, and I asked you to take a stance on some thought-provoking statements, such as people can be poor but still be rich. Whether or not you agreed with each statement on that anticipation guide was not as important about the reasons behind your choices. We all have our own important thoughts/values/beliefs, but being able to explain those thoughts/values/beliefs in a meaningful way is what makes them worthwhile. As you grow older, you will see that others may not always feel as strongly as you do about certain issues, and indeed, you will even disagree with people. However, disagreements do not need to be the cause of feuds and arguments. Rather, differing opinions, when presented respectfully, can often open the doors to new understandings. We have many discussions in our class, but one of our goals during these discussions is for you to realize that your voices matter. Communication should be a "give and take". You should offer your opinions but also be willing to listen to others as well.
There is a quote that says, “People are made to be loved and things are made to be used. The confusion in this world is that people are used and things are loved.” As a society, we tend to become so focused on the act of receiving. What can the world offer us? What is our reward going to be for completing certain tasks? We should instead ask ourselves these questions: What can I offer to others? Who matters most to me in my life and how do I show these people? Ebenezer Scrooge, in A Christmas Carol, spent so much time obsessed with trivial (unimportant) ideas, including the need to have money. Ultimately, though, he found that without love, gold had little value. People who were poorer than him in material possessions were richer than him in spirit. Bob Cratchit, an overworked and underpaid clerk of Scrooge’s, demonstrated this when he went home to his sick son, Tiny Tim, day after day but maintained a positive outlook. Not even the luckiest person has a good day every day, but I do believe the following simile holds a great deal of truth: “Life is like photography. We need negatives to develop.” The way we choose to respond to our challenges and successes speaks volumes about who we are.
Being a Scrooge in today’s world is unfortunately very easy. Greed, selfishness, and cynicism, are all too apparent. Spend just five minutes on Black Friday in a crowded line behind an angry customer. Some people are more concerned with getting Uggs and Xboxes than they are with expressing their gratitude for fellow human beings. Others need to constantly discourage others (Bah! Humbug!). It takes courage to be a Bob Cratchit in such a world; we need more folks who are selfless, hopeful, devoted, motivational, supportive, optimistic, caring, brave, and forgiving. Unfortunately, “Scrooges” try to stifle these people. Their mission is to make others miserable as well. I hope that in your lifetime you choose to surround yourself with people like Bob Cratchit, and may you inspire the Scrooges of the world to give optimism a chance.
Save an egg. Crack a smile.
-Ms. Sanford