Last week a first grade teacher told me she'd be covering my lunch room duty. "You go ahead and take a break," she said. A second grade teacher gave me a bag of goodies: a notebook, some chocolates, a sticker, a lucky penny, etc. I also received a nice card of appreciation, in which a teacher wrote a few nice comments about me and my work. Although I loved all of those things, my favorite bucket filler was a pile of cards from students. Most were from a Kindergarten class, where I spend time every few days helping with a math club, assisting with writing, or assessing student skills. I'm with them during recess and lunch, too, so I know them pretty well.
Someday I will need to read them again. Until then, I'm making a conscious effort to show appreciation to the people in my life. I'm imagining how much better the world would be if we all took time to show our gratitude. The thought puts a smile on my face.