don’t forget kindness

I am back in school and my windows are limited to the classroom, the car windshield, and the kitchen window I look out in the morning. Of course, there are other windows in my world – our bedroom window which we can finally crack now that cooler fall weather has arrived. This morning, I awoke to a nip in the air as the temperatures had dropped into the upper 40s (10C) overnight.

 

My classroom has two windows – one facing the sidewalk and the other facing the outdoor classroom and the entrance onto the parking lot from the street. Occasionally, there is a class in the outdoor classroom and the students are more interested in what is happening outside. Mostly, the views are uninspiring, but my students do peer out and get lost in the outside world, oblivious to the learning within the four walls. I understand. There are days when I feel constrained, too.

I was reading a blog post by Margaret, From Pyrenees to Pennines, this morning and I was inspired. Thank you, Margaret. It is during the summer, or a long weekend trip, when I can gaze through the windows at the lake. I can get lost, like my students, looking out at the lake.

This past summer I took a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina. It was a business trip, of sorts. I had a great time and I learned some new ways to design social studies curriculum. I was indoors during the days – all three days, but in the evening, I was able to explore.

Sunday night was The Pit and Carolina BBQ, absolutely delicious. I cleaned the plate and I made room for desert. I walked some of the calories off on my way back to the hotel.

Monday evening, I joined a former student and his family for dinner, it was a great evening which I’ll never forget.

Tuesday, I met an old high school classmate for dinner at Poole’s Diner. It was less than a ten- minute walk from my hotel. I was early, so I was able to take a few photos of the restaurant’s front window while I waited for my old friend to join me. It was difficult getting the entirety of the message etched in the window.

DON’T FORGET KINDNESS

I was able to capture part of the message in all of the photos, but I wasn’t able to get the entire message in a single photo.

Sometimes, I believe that’s a message that’s lost in our world today. I try to be kind in all that I do, but I know there are times when I come up short.

It was a good dinner, good conversation, and the macaroni and cheese was big enough to share.

it was as good as it looks…

After dinner, I walked back to the hotel and made a note to be little more kind in all my interactions.

That was ten weeks ago, time passes far too quickly. But, I can close my eyes and remember that window and the message:

DON’T FORGET KINDNESS.

It’s been a great day and it has passed in a blink of an eye. Tomorrow is Sunday, then Monday arrives as scheduled. There is always time for kindness and maybe, some mac and cheese. Making the Days Count, one bit of kindness at time, and bite of mac and cheese, too.   

What was the last reminder you saw in a window?

Today’s post is inspired by this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Windows. Your inspiration this week is windows. Use a window to frame your shot. Show us what you see out the window from the place where you usually blog, use a window to give structure to your photo, or make a window itself your subject.

To get more creative, use the glass in a window to add texture to your photo. And if you feel like being metaphorical, go for it! Share an image focused on someone’s eyes (the windows to the soul, dont’cha know), or of a landscape or piece of art that’s like a window to another world for you.

9 thoughts on “don’t forget kindness

    1. not much, just working to make the days count – thanks for stopping in and saying hello… you are welcome to follow along. Making the Days Count is what I try to do everyday, because anybody can count the days, it takes a little work to make them count. Peace.

  1. As I’m not living in the US, it’s a bit harder to find ‘good’ window quotes. I do however take lots of windows’ shots and sometimes (rarely) add a quote to my photo.
    If you just want to see one of my uploaded windows which has found its way on many cards, AND it being in the heart of Paris, look no further than that:
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/vol-au-vent/6138022054/ And also:
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/vol-au-vent/22619118559/

    I have however plenty of ‘fun windows’ with humourous names for the shop’s purpose (coffeeshop, etc) – and KINDNESS is with me, around me, in me, every single day, as is gratefullness. I’m glad that ppl like you are in the teaching ‘business’ – so many, far too many, of our friends have left their places disillusionned and some quite bitter. But we mustn’t ever give up, impossible is no option. Wishing you a good, thankful week.

    In France (or rather, in our church here), we celebrated ‘Thanksgiving’ yesterday (Journée d’action des grâces) – with ppl bringing their ‘gifts’ to put on the altar as visible sign of their thankfulness and with a shared ‘apéro dinatoire’ (sort of a rich nibble buffet where everyone brings a favourite dish along, and drinks and hearts filled with joy and thankfulness). We passed, on the motorway, an overturned car, completely demolished minutes earlier, and a surge of prayers for the driver (who was miraculously outside his car, phoning with the police) and thankfulness for having been protected came with us along on our journey….

    1. Thank you for visiting – I enjoyed see your photos. Being kind and thankful for all that comes my way is what Making the Days Count is all about. It began as a simple reminder to my students that while counting down the final days of the school year might be fun, it was more important to put meaning in the days by making them count. I make a dent in some of my students, not all, because, I’ve realized its more about the relationship than it is about the content. It’s an honor and a privilege to teach and lead 13-14 year-olds and watch them grow as learners. Have a great day, thanks for stopping in and making my day. Peace.

Thanks for visiting MtDC. How are YOU Making YOUR Days Count?