I learned so many great lessons from my mom. Even now that she's gone, I feel like I'm still learning from her and the example she was.
I was thinking about my mom this morning. Many years ago, my parents served a mission for our church and served on a cattle and citrus ranch. Part of my mom's time was spent volunteering at the local elementary school. She worked one-on-one with some of the students to help them with subjects in which they were struggling.
I remember mom telling me how one boy she helped was almost failing math, but after working with her, he was passing with a good grade. She was so proud of him for his improvement, and proud of herself for being able to help him.
I was a little surprised because Mom was not good at math! She was, however, tolerant, kind, and almost unfailingly patient. These kiddos definitely benefited from her gentleness in helping with their schoolwork. I'm sure she helped them feel safe and unhurried, so they had time to really learn.
It just goes to show that patience and kindness can work wonders.
Maya Angelou once said "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
You don't have to be an expert to help a child with math or spelling. And you don't have to have all the answers to help a friend going through a difficult time. You just need to be there - be a safe place by being patient, kind, and supportive. That will likely mean more than any expertise or advice, anyway.
Feeling safe and loved is powerful medicine. We all need it and we can all give it.
