“Malinda”

Dear Teacher,

Although I am intentional to NOT select New Year's resolutions (I, instead, make resolves to do better throughout the year), I DO choose a Word of the Year.  In past years, I chose words like "capacity" to remind me to afford grace to those with limited ability, as well as put limits on my own.  While those words came easily, this year's did not.  I have wrestled with it until it dawned on me this week during my morning walk.

MALINDA

This year's word is not an action verb or pseudo-pop-psychology word.  No.  This year's word is my own name.  With roots in Greek mythology, my name means "gentle, soft, and tender."  Lovely, right?  

Except I'm not always lovely.  In moments of anxiety I'm harsh instead of gentle.  In times of frustration I'm reactive instead of soft.  When I feel pressured I'm abrasive instead of tender.  I clearly need to be more MALINDA-like.

But how can I?  It's not that I can down a MALINDA pill to up the gentleness factor.  Instead, it's clear that the anxiety, frustration, and pressure of motherhood, entrepreneurship, and spousing deplete me from being MALINDA-esque.  So this year, the real commitment is to embrace more softness, gentleness, and tenderness by reducing the self-imposed pressure must-be's and have-to's and simplifying my life.

And, you teacher, there in classroom, can you do it as well?  Can you eliminate those self-imposed deadlines, the internal conflicts, and your own high-expectations?  Instead, in what areas can you be more gentle, soft, and tender TO YOURSELF?  Guaranteed, that if your teaching practices call for MALINDA-like treatment of you, then it will be evident in how you teach with MALINDA-spirit for your students.   

Softly and gently,
Mindy
Christian Educator & School Counselor