By Michelle Winn, Counselor at Negley Elementary.
Human connections….family and friends, neighbors, community, city, state, country, the world; the connections we have with others and the connections others have with us are moments in time that can affect how we choose to live our lives, see ourselves, and interact with others. Where one interaction may seem trivial to one, it may be life altering for another. Everyone comes with his own life story, a story threaded for them, and by them, from birth until now, that effects how they view and interact with the world.
Everyone has a story and everyone’s is different. The life stories we know of our friends are shared with us when we have shown they can trust us. But do we know the whole story? Is it a foster child, or coming from a home of abuse? Do we know his life story? Think for a moment about your life. Think about your history, your past encounters, and your struggles. Who do you share with? Who do you trust? And what is it that others say that offends us, BECAUSE of our story.
We want our children to be raised to show respect to others, to have the courage to stand up for not just themselves but for others, to take responsibility when they error and to correct injustices.
What are we modeling?
Are we sitting on our porches talking about the neighbor with the loud, disrespectful children… not knowing “their story”? Are we telling our kids to “retaliate” when they have been wronged, not knowing the student we are telling them to retaliate against is a child that has perhaps been removed from their natural parents? Are we laughing at the family with the old car, old clothes, not realizing that the family just lost an important member of their family and are having to pay for the costs of the funeral on their own? Are we calling our neighbor “crazy, when we are unaware of their life story?
What a beautiful, diverse, world we live in. We live in a world with people of different races, cultures, religions, belief systems… and stories; blankets woven with history, positive and negative. Our stories shape who we are and how we interact with others. Are we taking the time to reflect on others’ unknown stories before reacting? Stop for a moment and reflect about the interactions in the last week. What have you added to in others’ lives and have you reflected on your own life?
“Live your life from your heart, share from your heart, and your story will touch and heal people’s souls.” –Melody Beattie. If we all strive to do that, imagine the beautiful novels that will be written.
