Crumpled Heart
- Dave Diller
- Feb 19, 2018
- 2 min read
Ms. S puts a small construction paper heart on every student’s desk before the start of each day. Some of the things that they say...
“You are amazing”
“You are making progress”
“You are a gift”
These crafty encouragements, simple yet thoughtful, are designed to be the very first thing the students see when they sit at their desk. This is what greets them. To set the course of their day; to steer their ship.
One of our students came in one morning upset and unclear. The cause of his feelings he did not share but the anger and disgust he freely expressed. Throwing his cereal bar and cheese stick breakfast on the floor he flung his body down into his chair. Posture slumped; already defeated.
“What’s this?!?!” he said, angered by yet another intrusion to his day.
He reached out, grabbed the vessel of encouragement, without looking crumpled it up and, as if channeling all of his displeasure, he flung it aside.
Never to see its words, never to read its message, never to live its truth.
“This day is terrible, nothing good is ever going to happen.” He continued his morning, bitter, angry and hurt.
Oh, if only he could see what was there to greet him. If only his gaze could be shifted from the lonely corners of his mind to the love and joy that swirled around him. If only he could be awake to the abundance already overflowing in his midst. If only he could feel the assured support of Grace holding him.
Yet, even here, there is good news. While he was not prepared in that moment to receive, Grace will call again. The radical persistence of Love never tires.
And…
it will find him.
May you, in your moments of unclear thinking, know that Grace is here.
May you, when your predetermined thoughts of disappointment and frustration cloud and imprison your true self, feel the invitation from Love.
May you, when you believe the false narrative that “nothing good is in store”, see that Goodness has already burst onto the scene.
And, should you miss Love’s call; be ever so kind to yourself…
it will find you.
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