As my day ended, I I was feeling less optimism than I like. I was looking, but not seeing the whole picture. I looked at my day and the week behind me, and saw moments of stress, and times where I lacked patience and reacted instead of responded. I noticed the times my students reacted instead of responded, and was pained by the reminders of the times they were unkind to one another, and the times they struggled with their learning and being.
Then, as I was heading out, I turned back to our learning space as to shut off the light. As I did I felt my inhale and my exhale. As I took that breath, I paused.
First my eyes fell on this bulletin board. My breath deepened as I saw the faces of each of my kindergartners — created by their own hands, using their big beautiful brains and awesome hearts. I was struck — as I so often am — by their awesomeness, their courage, their amazing willingness to try, and their remarkable ability to do.
As I turned once more towards the door, my gaze fell upon this white board. We read Herman and Rosie together earlier in the week, and — inspired — we created things we loved. We shared a bit about ourselves with this art.
Again, my breath deepened, and my heart filled with peace and joy as I saw — in my minds eye — each one of those beautiful humans working hard to find a way to place things they loved onto the paper, and share it with each other. We are fantabulous humans. We are doing remarkable things together. We are learning skills. We are developing and strengthening mindsets and thinking practices. We are breathing, and growing our awareness and understanding of self and others. We are existing together, taking risks, trying new things, sharing, learning, growing, and being us. Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we are impatient and unkind. Sometimes we react instead of respond. But, we are also kind, and helpful, peaceful, thoughtful, and loved.
I was thinking about all of this the other day when I heard Nicole Avant say “It takes time.” I thought to myself, “It takes time. Yes! It takes time! Learning. Living. Being our best selves. Figuring things out. Being in community. It. Takes. Time.”
Wonderful things are happening in Kindergarten. Wonderful things are happening in my Kindergartners. Wonderful things are happening in me. It takes time, and each one of those moments in time is filled with opportunity, grace, and possibility.
Life lived with relentless creativity 
I love the art work. I sure would like to see more artwork in the classrooms where I tell stories.
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Wouldn’t that be fantabulous? Could you offer ideas or things for the kids to take home and create? 🙂
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Actually, this week’s story has a suggestion to draw a jungle picture. That was the assignment in the book, Regina’s Big Mistake. I’m leaving jungle stickers with the teachers to let the students use if they want, sort of jump/start. I’ve done this before and no one wants to use their stickers on their drawing but take them home instead. These are children who have minimal creative are supplies at home. Last year, during virtual storytelling I put packets together with scissors and glue sticks and popsicle sticks so they could make a stick puppet at home like the one I used in the story, Tillie and the Wall.
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You are good! I’m so glad you’re ok with them taking stickers home!
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Those faces full of promise makes you so hopeful about the future. Thanks for sharing!
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😁 they do indeed!
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“It takes time, and each one of those moments in time is filled with opportunity, grace, and possibility.”
I feel like I need to frame this and enshrine it somewhere where I see the reminder every day! So good.
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Lol, you and me both, Julie!!! And, thanks for the thought. Perhaps that’s an art project in my future ,😁
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This is beautiful: “Each one of those beautiful humans working hard to find a way to place things they loved onto the paper, and share it with each other.” And you are there to help them along. I am so glad that you turned around and saw all the creations and understood that so much good was going on.
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Thank you, Terje!
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So good. “It takes time, and each one of those moments in time is filled with opportunity, grace, and possibility.” What a wonderful post!
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Thanks, Loralee!
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First of all, let me say that I would never have imagined this was kindergarten work! The details they have put into their art IS fantabulous! I just took that line that everyone is quoting and added it to my email signature line. I change them out regularly, and I think people need to read this one!! Beautiful post.
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Thanks, Leigh Anne! That all means a lot to me. So glad you liked the art and my words! Awesome.
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Glorious creativity – and I absolutely love the focus on possibility and seeing wonderful things happening all around, even “in me.” Beautiful.
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Aw, thanks, Fran!
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I love that you took this moment to breathe and extend yourself some grace. You are absolutely right – it all takes time. I hope you’ll read this again if you feel yourself short on patience. It’s beautiful. 🙂
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Thanks, Dana!!! And yes, what a great idea to read it again.
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