Contributed by Lisa Butera, Middle School Guidance Counselor
I don’t know if you will find a ton of people who will say this, but I love 8th graders! I truly do. And I loved today. Why? Because I got to meet with our new 8th grade class for one of my most favorite TARGET classes of the year. Our topic … Leadership! So important, so critical in today’s world.
Our Class of 2018 have waited a long time and worked very hard to be top dog here at Holy Comforter, and they have finally made it. But, their journey’s not over – not even close! Actually, we are just beginning to get warmed up over here in the middle school. Every single one of our 8th graders, all sixty-five, were born to be leaders. No one was left out of this count! But just as each of them is a unique creation of God, each was born to lead in his/her own way. We don’t need official titles to be leaders, and we don’t need to wait for momentous occasions to put on our leadership hat. We have countless opportunities every day to choose to be a leader. And that’s what it’s about … every day choices.
To illustrated this point, I showed Drew Dudley’s TED Talk, “Everyday Leadership” in which he redefines leadership as being about lollipop moments – everyday acts that makes another person’s life better. It’s actually quite simple, but isn’t it the simple things that get overlooked sometimes? If you have a few minutes, check out his video – definitely worth it!
And I could find no better way to wrap up today’s talk than with Marianne Williamson’s below quote. So perfect, so inspirational, so true! It’s gonna be a great year!
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine,
we consciously give other people permission to do the same.
– Marianne Williamson
