Impact

It’s easy to get bogged down in your daily life, and forget that you have the power to impact others.

Each year, I help to run an art contest for Safe Haven. Contacting hundreds of schools to get students to produce posters or works of art to help educate their community about the law. Each year, I stress over it, and then get a ton of amazing entries right at the deadline. Last year, one of the winners was a girl at an alternative high school, who was clawing her way through a horrible home life to try to make something better for herself by finishing school. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her and present her with the award.

This year, after stressing out as usual, I got ONE lone entry to the contest. Just one. It was a great one, don’t get me wrong. But I was bummed out that we got only that one.

The school was notified and congratulated. I ordered the certificate and sent info for the prize money to be distributed.

Then the teacher called me. She said, “You don’t know how much this will mean to her.” Turns out this student is a ward of the state. Working her way through school, dealing with self esteem issues, trying to fit in and get through. She did the project on her own, no extra credit, and never expected to win anything…. She did it because she thinks it’s important. Because she wants babies to be safe and loved.

And now, it’s going to be my pleasure to present her with her award, and tell her what a great job she did. And it will serve as a reminder to me that everything we do impacts someone else. Not everything works out as you planned, but it all works out. And what you do can impact someone else’s life in ways you didn’t expect.

Oooh Reeealy?

Didn't I say I'd be right back with some "better you than me" moments for your enjoyment?

Today, my 12 year old son came home with something that looks a whole lot like a hickey. Cue absolute mortification.

Of course, he says it's totally not a hickey, because that would just be wrong. Oh no, he says a girl just pinched his neck when they were playing around at school. Yeah, those lies didn't work when I was young, either.

So now he's upset because I told him I don't believe him. Now he believes we're at an impasse. I explained that A) he's too young for this crap and B) even if he weren't too young for this crap, that defacing someone's body is plain wrong. I told him that if I see another mark on him, or find that he left one on someone else, I will hold a press conference with his teacher, the girl's mother, and the school paper.

There have been plenty of times he's done stupid things, and lied to avoid trouble. This, however, is the first time he hasn't eventually told the truth. That bothers me. A lot.

Well, Hellloooo

No, I haven't forgotten about my blog. I've just been busy.
It's not you, it's me.
Like right now, I'm in my political science class. And if my professor realizes I'm blogging, she's going to call me out in front of everyone. And that would suck.

So I'm going to talk politics (which I enjoy anyway) and will regale you later with tales of my amusing and sometimes infuriating children.