Have you thank-ed someone today?
Who is someone you are grateful for? Can you think of anybody who believ-ed in you, cheering you on when you were at a low ebb? Stop for a moment and think whom that could be.........
I'm mindful of Mr Al. Tafoya. He was my fifth-grade teacher. The only Hispanic teacher I ever had. From the state of New Mexico, he was. One day he asked me to stay in class after dismissing the other students for recess.
The words he spoke that day have stuck with me. To this very day. I didn't expect them. He was scary. No, not because he had an eye in the back of his head or anything like that.
He was the best and most demanding teacher at Vallejo Mills Elementary. He taught accelerated classes. For nerds like me. If anyone in his class spoke without permission, they were in trouble.
Once I asked a fellow student, David, who sat next to me if I could borrow his eraser during an exam. Mr. Tafoya took my test. He gave me an F. For me, it was F for frustration. He didn't ask why I spoke. I cried. Only the second time I did at school.
The day he asked me to stay after class, I nervously waited. I shifted in my wooden seat.
Outside, students could be heard, yelling. Some played tether ball, four square. Many ran around the field. Hearing the commotion outside, I longed to be with them.
Instead, I was trapped with bald-pated, non-smiling Mr. Tafoya. The excited voices of the pupils outside and the stir on the playground, were immediately silenced when he finally spoke.
Stunned, by his surprising words, I was. He encouraged me. 'You are my best student," he said. "That couldn't be," I thought. The other students were brainy; I didn't even wear glasses.
"But I get in fights. I am in the Principal's office often. Others in class use fancier words than me. They are sons of doctors, lawyers and engineers."
"Yes," he replied, "but they don't read about Plato, Aristotle, Dante or the speeches of great men." He knew my reading choices because of the books I bought from the Scholastic Book Club. His words surprised and encouraged me.
Since that day, attending school became something I look forward to. His words reinforced confidence in my ability to think and express myself on paper. They still do. I am happiest when researching, more than anything else. Studying relaxes me.
After our visit, I was a motivated. I became an even more disciplined student. In the fifth grade, I studied until 2:00 a.m. I liked getting good grades. At the time I didn't realize I was
externally referented.
It would be years before I was freed from this disease. Then, academic success provided encouragement. That was something rarely gotten from parents busy attending to six kids.
This drive for excellence in studies lasted through junior high, high school and college. I love learning, even now. My efforts were bolstered by Mr Tafoya's encouraging words that day. I was emboldened by his belief in me, a confused kid with a crew cut. What a difference one person can make.
So, Mr. Tafoya---wherever you are---thank you for encouraging an insecure, struggling ten-year-old. I'm grateful for the gift you gave that day. You instilled the desire to believe, not only in my abilities but in myself.
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This is the Attitude of Gratitude Inn. Here, we exercise thankfulness muscles, sharing the gratitudes that fill our hearts. Doing so is a wonderful antidote to the negativity that can easily invade our souls.
The news bombards us with bleak information. I prefer lighting a candle, instead of cursing darkness. I keep my face towards the sun. I focus on the blessings I receive from God and the love I enjoy from friends and family.
Just for today, would you mind sharing about one person that you are grateful for?
It would be wonderful if you shared about someone who made a difference in your life. Please include details, that made this person influential. That would be terrific. Would it be possible to introduce this person, who had a strong impact upon you?
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