Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Life's GPS
Today I'm still thinking about that student who called me his map. On a follow-up conversation Friday morning, he said that I was his GPS. His Gruener Positioning System. Isn't that so sweet? When he realized his name also starts with a G, he said it should really be called a G2PS.
What he doesn't know is that on Friday, shortly after that fun conversation, I was having a little full-blown meltdown over something that today seems really insignificant and small. And you know why?
Because I was letting some trivial small stuff overwhelm me and
overshadow the awesomeness
that should have been looming larger than life,
like the fact that The Giving Tree at our Book Fair
was picked clean so that our friends who might not
have gotten a new book this time around did,
the fact that to keep up with our bigger class sizes this year,
three ukuleles that were donated to our Lab on Friday
just in time for Social Stations to start on Monday,
and the fact that our upcoming SOCKtober collection will allow us to celebrate our riches by helping warm up the homeless.
These things matter so much more than that pesky tough stuff.
How quickly we can descend from the mountaintop into the valley
and how difficult it can be to get back up.
But get back up we must.
And I have an idea how my student's G2PS idea can help.
What if G2PS stood for a Gratitude & Goodness Positioning System, if in the tough times we were grateful for the good things.
Intentionally.
On purpose.
With resolve.
What if we took a page out of the Scott Hamilton book of life
and embraced challenges as opportunities to get up and grow?
Just recently diagnosed with his third brain tumor,
he's choosing to focus on celebrating life,
and he's grateful to have been
"blessed beyond my wildest imagination."
Or a page from the book of our favorite ventriloquist Dennis Lee.
He had a horrible car collision this past spring that left his left side broken from head to toe. He still uses crutches to get from pillar to post.
But it didn't break his spirit.
As he gets up and continues his trek around the globe,
his motivational message doesn't focus on asking why?,
but instead, why not?
Why not try?
Why not use tragedy to triumph?
Why not find the blessings in the burden?
So vulnerable.
So inspiring.
So real.
On the mountaintop.
And in the valley.
Gratitude and goodness.
In all things.
How much better could life be if we would all get back up
and forge forward into our new normal fueled by
hearts full of overwhelming gratitude and goodness.
Talk about your road map to success ...
Thursday, October 6, 2016
The Thumb Team
Today I'm feeling grateful to one of my third-grade girls, who surprised me this morning with this beautiful, one-of-a-kind necklace. What a terrific way to start my day, with the words, "Mrs. Gruener, I made this for you."
Shortly afterward and still basking in the glow of the warmth of her kindness, my friend and former Assistant Principal Mr. Whitlock stopped by with a surprise from The Thumb Team. A few weeks ago, he told me that he was leading a group of specials teachers during their Professional Learning Community (PLC) time that he fondly referred to as The Thumb Team. They're called that, he explained, because they sometimes feel a little different, like the thumb on a hand. But, he was quick to add, that they are as every bit as important to a school family as a thumb is to a hand. Isn't that a great analogy? So I offered to give them each a copy of my book if he'd like to lead a book study. He accepted, that study started on Tuesday, and he was bringing me a stack of bucket-filling thank-you notes. How much happiness can one heart take? I thought I might burst from the joy.
After school, I spent an hour with these superheroes.
We read Max's Magic Seeds,
then painted these character rocks
to plant around school and spread sunshine!
Before they left, because it's a Making Magic Community Education class, we learned how to put a second bottom into a bag and make it look like there's nothing in the bag because it is hidden between the two bottoms.
Have you ever tried that trick?
Yesterday, I had a Change Theory chat with the counselors in the district;
 |
| Slide adapted from CharacterCounts! 5.0 training. |
here's a link with a link to
The Elephant, The Rider & The Path clip I shared.
Finally, in case you missed our #CharacterEdChat tonight,
click the graphic below for the archive.
Happy weekend!
Sunday, October 2, 2016
How Long Will It Matter?
It has been about a year or so since one of my former students reached out to me in a private message on Facebook. Now working at a neighboring school with a friend of mine, she'd seen my name pop up and wondered if that could be the Miss Natzke who worked at Friendswood High School all of those years ago. She was fourteen when we first met, a freshman in high school, and I'd just turned twenty five, a third-year teacher and brand-new coach, fresh out of coaching clinic trying to make a go of it on the volleyball court.
It made my heart happy to hear from her. I remembered her well, not so much because I stepped into her story but because her mom stepped into mine. I credit her mom with helping me reconnect spiritually during a time in my life when I wasn't being spiritually fed. As I reflect, it was bold, out-of-the-box thinking to invite your daughter's young teacher and coach to church.
Then, a month or so ago, an inquiry: Would I have some time on September 30th for a visit? Without hesitation, I said, "Absolutely!" I thought it'd be super fun to see her again, to show her around her old stomping ground as she'd attended Westwood during her formative years, and to meet the amazing adult, teacher, mom that she has become.
Then, a month or so ago, an inquiry: Would I have some time on September 30th for a visit? Without hesitation, I said, "Absolutely!" I thought it'd be super fun to see her again, to show her around her old stomping ground as she'd attended Westwood during her formative years, and to meet the amazing adult, teacher, mom that she has become.
What a treasured gift it was to see her again;
does it sound weird to say I wanted to keep her?
It has been thirty years.
Let that soak in.
Thirty years.
In a way, it feels just like yesterday.
But truly, it was a lifetime ago.
Here's the coolest part.
She doesn't remember me for the awesome handouts she completed in Spanish class. She doesn't necessarily remember the engaging games we played as we conjugated verbs and acquired vocabulary. She doesn't even remember our win-loss record on the court {though I do remember her hustle as a setter!}.
She shared that what she remembers is that
"you had a dynamic, caring personality with a love of life."
And she told me that it was refreshing to be in my presence.
That is music to my soul ...
and it makes me want to care more.
To connect more.
To love more.
To reach out more.
It makes me hope that I've created those caring connections
more often than not.
Because I know that not all of my students
have these joyful memories of our interactions.
It makes me cognizant of what really matters.
And it makes me want to ripple that out
as far and wide as I possibly can.
Until I can't anymore.
So today, a wish for a Happy October, and a challenge:
What will you do today, this week, this month
that really matters?
How will you know it really matters?
And for how long will it really matter?
Oh, and do a former teacher or mentor a favor;
reconnect with them, to let them know
that who they are
and what they did for you
really matters.
Thank you, Kelly, for finding joy in the journey
and bringing it back to share it with me all those years later.
Your visit really mattered to me.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Make A Mark
Happy International Dot Day!
Have you seen Emily Arrow's new song based on Peter Reynolds' book ISH yet?
Isn't she just precious-ish?
I'll admit it; I went all fan girl when she Tweeted me that she's working on the sheet music for the ukulele.
I'm on it!
And there's another ukulele sensation on the scene;
have you seen this little singer songwriter?
Amazing Grace.
I admire how she's making her mark,
one original song at a time, big time!
The ukulele really is a magical little instrument,
especially when you have these little rays of sunshine
singing and clapping along. So many blessings.
It has been a busy few weeks as we get another school year way under way. This past week at Parent Night I tried something new, a seed that grew from a collaboration with Susan, a counseling colleague in PA. This ...
became THIS!
There are so many sweet sentiments on this wall of fame,
our caregivers' hopes, goals, and dreams for their children,
many of which have nothing to do with academics.
One of my favorites?
You can ... be a rainbow of joy.
So touching.
We also celebrated our grandparents with a breakfast ...
and car hopped through Happy Hour at Sonic!
A FUNdraising end to a terrific week.
How have you been making your mark?
Saturday, April 23, 2016
A Berry Different Perspective
It's that time again, dewberry season.
I used to think that staying home to whip up a homemade pie crust and wait for the call that they boys had found the motherlode and were headed home was the ultimate labor of love.
For 25 years, that's what I thought.
Until today.
Today, I decided to go along with John and Joshua,
to pick dewberries.
I had no idea that the actual picking might trump
the pie-making process in the labor of love category!
the pie-making process in the labor of love category!
I didn't put two and two together when John gently suggested that I find some old jeans to wear instead of the shorts I had on.
I didn't think much of it when he put on his rubber boots.
I didn't click when he put the walking sticks in the back of the van.
Empathy is funny that way;
you don't always know what to expect
until you walk in someone else's boots for a bit.
When we got to the field, it all started to make sense.
The stick, he told me, was to keep away critters ...
{Wait, what?}
but I also found it very useful to move the bramble out of my way so that I could get to those treasures without getting hurt because sometimes they hide deep inside the thorny vines that they call home and it's super tricky to get to them.
I couldn't help but think how this kind of parallels life.
It can be tough to stay the course and get to the treasure.
But it's usually worth it.
And sometimes we think we have it harder than other people do.
But comparison is the thief of joy, so we're wise
to celebrate what is and not worry about what isn't.
Better yet, if we really want to know first-hand what the other person's experience is like, go berry picking with them and see the other side.
After an hour and a half,
the three of us came home with this ...
so that we could enjoy this treat this afternoon.
So today I'm grateful
to have a berry different perspective
that will make my tasty piece of pie even more delicious.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Happiness Is ...
Get your happy on, because not only is it the official first day of spring, but it's also International Day of Happiness.
Our friends at the Joy Team are at it again, celebrating with 252 positively uplifting billboards across America. Have you seen one in your area yet?
Remember last year when we partnered to create this one?
Remember last year when we partnered to create this one?
That made me so happy.
So today, I'm thinking about happiness,
and what that looks like, sounds like, and feels like in my Corner.
Happiness is being a mom, a wife, a school counselor.
Happiness is spending time together with family.
Happiness is a check-in text or email from a friend.
Happiness is a smile given, received and returned.
Happiness is doing, receiving, or watching a kind act.
Happiness is having good friends to share my story.
Happiness is solving (and surviving!) a conflict.
Happiness is getting lost in a good movie or book.
Happiness is a finishing a big task, like calculating taxes.
Happiness is baking up some goodness to share.
Happiness is being thankful and showing gratitude.
Happiness is soaking up some Vitamin D outdoors.
Happiness is helping or mentoring someone.
Happiness is gardening, knitting, writing.
Happiness is being understood.
Happiness is passion.
Happiness is peace.
Happiness is grace.
Happiness is forgiving and being forgiven.
Happiness is feeling positively joyful.
And praying for that for our loved ones.
Clearly my cup runneth over.
ps. Today would have also been Mr. Rogers' 88th birthday.
We are all connected!
Here's to making it a cheerfully happy day.
ps. Today would have also been Mr. Rogers' 88th birthday.
We are all connected!
Here's to making it a cheerfully happy day.
Friday, January 15, 2016
PPBF: Bowls Of Happiness
Today I'm delighted to add a cultural gem to our ever-growing PPBF list.
Title: Bowls of Happiness: Treasures from China and the Forbidden City
Author: Brian Tse
Illustrator: Alice Mak
Translation: Ben Wang
Publisher: China Institute in America
Publisher: China Institute in America
Date: November 17, 2015
Suitable for ages: 4-8
Genre: Cultural Studies
Themes: Chinese culture, happiness, prosperity
Brief synopsis from Simon & Schuster: Piggy's mom loves her so much that she has decided to make a special porcelain bowl just for her. As mom makes the bowl, Piggy enters the world being painted on its outside. There she meets and learns about the animals used on these Chinese artworks and the messages of happiness and good-fortune that they convey.
Opening page:
Mommy says, "At the sight of Piggy, my heart leaps with joy!" That's because my nickname is Piggy.
Mommy remembers when she picked me up, right after I was born, with my pink body, my wide cheeks, and my large nostrils. "Oink, oink, oink!" I cried and cried, just like a piggy. So Dad said, "Might as well call her Piggy!"
Resources:
*Let Piggy's story spark a discussion about nicknames.
Do you have a nickname?
What is it?
How did you get it?
Who gets to call you by that name?
Is there anyone who does not get to call you that?
What do you think of Piggy's nickname?
If you could pick your own nickname, what would it be?
Why I like this book: As a character educator, I am always looking for enrichment resources that support cultural traditions and awareness, especially when it's time for a special celebration like Chinese New Year. Though the publisher recommends it for children ages 4-8, I actually read it with a fourth-grade boy and I think he may have even connected with it more than I did.
This book holds so many possible directions to springboard. In the second part of the book after Piggy's creative fantasy through the pictures on Mom's bowl, the reader gets a peek into the cultural beliefs about happiness in the Chinese world. Then, some challenging imagery and insight about the symbolism behind the bowls among the Chinese Emperors, more historic engagement, and a challenge: Make your own bowl.
And while it'd be really cool to have students color the template in the book or make a papier-mâché bowl, imagine the extension possibilities
if your child(ren) could paint images on a porcelain bowl
or, better yet, sculpt and fire a clay bowl.
If you're looking for a service component to enrich the reading of this book, plan a soup supper and decide whom you want to feed. My friend Tina in Missouri does this very thing in her Art classes with a project called Bowls For Hunger. Ask your students how they might mimic that project or use that service-learning idea for something they could do as a class, like host an International Epicurean day. Whom would they invite and what would they serve?
Finally, open up a discussion about the differences between happiness and joy.
For a list of today's PPBF picks, visit Susana's blog next.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
JOY Is A Choice
Today marks the three-year anniversary of a horrible head-on collision that left me physically broken in two places and emotionally broken into many more pieces than that. Sometimes I feel like I'm still in recovery; other times I feel like I'm doing okay navigating my new normal. One of the lessons I learned through that whole ordeal is that JOY is a choice. Every day.
So today's post is a preview of a message I've been invited to share at our Community Prayer Breakfast first thing tomorrow morning.
My message ~ Inspiring JOY ~ will be simple but powerful:
Look up. In a broken world, we will only heal and thrive when we fix our eyes on our higher power and draw our strength from that omniscient, omnipotent and omni-present Source.
Look around: Our world is a better place when we lead with a servant heart. What needs do we see in others and how can we fill them?
Look in: What can we do for ourselves so that we are fed physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually? We simply cannot serve from an empty vessel.
There you have it: J ~ O ~ Y.
It's a choice.
Every day.
For homework, I'm going to encourage our youth to name three people in their lives whom they promise to reach out to when life gets dark and their joy is threatened, like what happened to me in that wreck three years ago.
Above all, I want them to know that they are surrounded by people who love and care about them. And that joy is a choice and always, always within reach. If you're in the Houston area, join us tomorrow morning at 6:30 am in the Friendswood High School cafeteria.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Peace And Plenty
As we say good-bye to 2015 and start our 2016 story,
I'm reflecting on my one little word for this past year:
harmony.
The first definition in the dictionary has to do with musical notes struck simultaneously to produce a pleasant sound; the second definition?
Agreement or concord.
And as I reflect, I'd like to say that because I chose harmony as my focus word, that this year fell beautifully into place like the notes on a John Williams' score. But, alas, that wouldn't be painting an honest or accurate picture of how it went. In reality, a good part of my 2015 was out of harmony for me. Some of the discord was downright painful, but in hindsight, I'm convinced that those times served an important purpose, to stretch and grow me, and for that, I'm thankful.
And, just because God has a keen sense of humor, look what I spied in the butterfly garden at Bales earlier this week when I was showing my sister around.
I'm sure it has been there every time I've sat out there with a student this semester; it just took me looking at my new surroundings again through a different lens to find harmony where it has been all along.
Life's funny like that, isn't it?
We also got a sneak peek at the progress of our new mural.
Isn't it going to be a valuable addition to that hallway?
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| Click the picture for more information about Murals by Kathy. |
So as we move forward into a new year, today I'm enjoying the memories of these past two weeks spent putting puzzles together ...
... and finishing a furniture-restoration project,
of our hearts and our home filled with so much JOY . . .
that even our backyard birds are chirping with delight.
Warm reflections of walks and talks and card games and Hallmark movies,
of eating in and eating out, of smiles and satisfaction.
Life feels harmonious again. And I'm filled with gratitude.
Our last night of extended-family holiday togetherness found us watching
the UW Badgers battle to win the Holiday Bowl.
And as I write this, my Dad and his wife are on the road headed back home after a dozen days with us; my sister and her husband are en route home by air. My brother and his girlfriend have returned to Wisconsin, too, and the college kids will spend New Year's Eve with their friends in their perspective college towns.
I'll sign off with this sign that my sister brought from my mom's kitchen for mine, my wish for you, dear reader, in 2016 and beyond.
Happy New Year.
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