Apology
Looking back on my childhood I can
easily remember so many "quotes" my mother would repeatedly say, and
I am so thankful they have stuck with me over the years. I wish I would more
consistently act on all the wisdom she poured into me. One statement she
repeated was, "Never say 'never,' or 'always' because few things in
life fit into never or always." Well, in my post yesterday I made a
blanket statement about the teachers at the school I taught in here in SC.
It was wrong. I am SO thankful my friend from there came to me with her
offense and that I was able to apologize to her personally. I would also like
to do so publicly - to her and anyone else I may have offended by my blanket
statement. I am so thankful she offered forgiveness. I was also thankful for
the opportunity to share in more detail how I truly felt. You see, teaching
here is SC was actually an amazing experience. I had never taught before with
such a "team" of teachers on my 5th grade level. They truly worked
together to make sure we produced amazing lessons. They truly loved their
students as their own and did have high expectations of their students as well.
What I should have stated yesterday was that there were several teachers within
the school that had lower expectations. I had one student in particular, that
before I even met him, some teachers came up to me and apologized I had him and
wished me luck. He was a challenge for sure and I don't know their heart or
motive or exactly what they meant by it... I just felt that their expectation
of him, as well as others in my class, was not one of success for his future. I
am so thankful for the amazing teachers and coaches and other employees who
befriended me then and took me under their wings and showed me how to love and
teach. I should NOT have put a blanket statement like that in writing because
it’s not true. I hope all the teachers from the school... and in all schools,
look to teachers like those who truly love and teach like they do!
Lessons
So, with this apology comes two
lessons. First, watch out for blanket statements! Second, if someone offends
you, go to them! I cannot tell you how thankful I am that this friend came to
me. She is awesome! How many times do we get "offended" and then just
hold in that offense? or act inappropriately on it? You have got to be brave
and strong to choose the right thing and go to the person with your offense and
allow them to make it right, if they so choose. I am so thankful to have been
on the other end of it this time... to be able to correct myself and make
things right and hold on to a friendship that I cherish instead of losing a
friendship over miscommunication. But next time I am offended, I hope to be
brave and strong to confront in love (just like she did) and allow others the
opportunity to make things right (but forgive no matter what). I know we
have all said or done things we wish we could take back... but we can't.
However, we can always own it and make it right... Forgiveness is so freeing when
given and received!
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