Making Real Connections

“In Everyone’s life at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

                            -Albert Schweitzer

Making connections with others has always been important to me , but with each year of my life, I realize, more and more, how truly important these connections are. I consider myself blessed to be able to work in the field of education. Every day, I am able to touch the lives of children and their families in a positive way; I am fortunate enough to see how my belief in them leads to them believing in themselves, so that they can live a fulfilling life and enjoy their own connections with others. I started my career as a teacher and have since been moving "onward and upward" into the realm of administration. What a journey so far! It is so important to me to be able to feel like I'm making a difference, no matter what position I happen to hold at the time. I want to help people succeed!

 I look to the many successful leaders in education, many whom have been MY mentors, for guidance on a regular basis, and one thing is always consistent: they NEVER fail to connect with others. This is at the forefront of everything they do.

I am a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a teacher, an administrator, an employee, a boss, a shopper at the grocery store, another face at the gym in the morning, a patient in the waiting room, a neighbor. When I look at this life of mine and at the sphere of influence I have created around myself, I feel a massive sense of responsibility to make sure that I do not take all of these human connections for granted.

Take a look around you!  How many people do YOU have some sort of connection with? Are you making those connections positive? Inspirational? What impression do we leave with people we've just met? What are we doing to help others live their best life? 

This blog is just one way of holding myself accountable, as I journey forward, for "keeping it real". I will not lose sight of the incredible influence that I have on the lives around me. Let this be my chance to connect with YOU, share your thoughts as I share mine; lets make a point of living each day making REAL connections with others, and hopefully, leaving them with a smile and a memory that will enrich their lives . . . . .

T