Just One

As we begin to gear up for back to school, I am reminded of my number one rule for myself when I was a secondary English teacher. It was pretty much the reason I started in education, and it is what kept me going for the nearly 10 years I was in the classroom. It is how I started each school year, how I started each semester, and how I started each day. My main focus, my number one rule, my mantra if you would, was to help just one kid.

In the fall when we would get our class rosters, I wouldn’t get overwhelmed by the fact I had 31 students in one class, I wouldn’t get upset that I had five different preps when I thought I would only have four, and I would try not to complain about whatever inconvenience may have popped up that I wasn’t expecting. Instead, I would start off by reminding myself, if I can help just one kid, if I can make a difference in the life of just one kid, if I can impact the outcome for just one kid, then this will all be worth it. 

I would remind myself of this each and every morning. I would think of this as I poured over essays that needed to be graded. I would hope for this as I prepared my lesson plans. I would pray about this as I walked around the room while students were working or taking a test. Like most secondary public school teachers, I would have somewhere between 120-150 students each year. I would have liked to think I could have helped them all in some way, but I knew, making a difference for just one person can mean the world. 

I am reminded of this especially this week as I wrap up my first year of blogging. One year ago I finally swallowed my pride, choked back my worst fears, took a deep breath, and I hit “publish” for my very first blog post. At the time, I made a commitment to myself that I would post once per week for one year, then I would reassess. But I wasn’t allowed to skip weeks, and I most definitely wasn’t allowed to quit.

What you should know about that first publication is that it was on the blog site only…not on social media. That basically means that unless you had the Core Truths web address, you’d never see it! So my huge act of bravery was known by less than five people! Finally, after about a month of secret posts, my husband had read my latest published blog entry and asked, “Can I please share this on Facebook?” 

And that was that. My worst fears and my biggest dreams had all come true in the same night. 

Since then, I have kept my promise and my commitment to post once per week for one year. This post is number 52. 

I would be lying if I told you it was easy. I can assure you there were many, many times I was ready to quit. There was a lot of self-doubt at times, some negative self-talk, and a long line of excuses. But I kept going. And here’s the real reason why.

Each week before I write, I say a prayer. I pray for the one person who may need a particular message that week. I pray for the one person who may be going through the exact same thing. I pray for the one person who may need to read the words I write. I think to myself, if I can make a difference in the life of just one person, then it has all been worth it!

Like teaching, the payoff for me is huge. I could never explain the joy I would feel when a kid would say, “I get it!” Or when a student would find the perfect book, story, poem, or author that resonated deep within. Or when they would confide in me that for one reason or another, things had been really bad for them but they were getting much better. The best reward to teaching was learning how one person’s life had been altered and had been made better than it was before.

That is how I feel about this blog. I am in awe of the way readers have responded to the words I have written. I am humbled by the love and support shown to me each and every week. I am speechless when it comes to the connections I have made with people near and far because of the stories I have shared. 

There was a day one of my most precious friends called me and said she had read my blog post about how sometimes we just need to phone a friend. She went on to say I was her friend and she was calling me to tell me she had just been diagnosed with cancer. 

There was another time I received a text message from someone very close to me who had read my blog about roller skating with the kids. She told me she had decided she would enjoy all the moments she could with her kids, no matter what.  

There was another friend who, after reading the post about my dream of being on the Today Show and meeting Jenna Bush Hager, had decided she too would be bold and would say what it is she really wanted to do.

I have received messages and texts about ways people are showing a little “lagniappe” and giving more for good measure, about things people are letting go, and about ways they have shut down the negative self-talk and have focused on things they are doing right. I have been stopped by moms telling me they, too, use their “inside voices” to say things they shouldn’t say out loud, and some moms who have told me they will start using their “inside voices” instead. After writing a post about my husband cleaning up the aftermath of a sick little one in the middle of the night, I read comment after comment from women saying they have a good husband like that as well! 

I really wish I could share each and every special moment I have had, but the truth is, like most good things in life, it is too many to count!

As I wrap up this first year of writing and sharing, I want to say thank you to all of you who have been a part of this journey. I would like to invite you to stick with me as we continue to connect over the things we have in common and to learn from each other’s experiences. I will continue to share my truths in the hope I can make a difference and impact the life of just one person. The truth is, you all have made a huge impact on me!