Recognizing Treasures...

Yahoo’s Offbeat News from AFP reports that John Webber, a seventy-year old Brit, decided to get an appraisal on an ornate brass cup that he’d had since childhood. His grandfather, a scrap metal dealer, gave it to him as a cast-off, and Webber even used it as a target for his air gun in the 1940s.

The “brass” cup turned out to be a Persian artifact, hammered from one sheet of pure gold centuries before the birth of Christ. This treasure goes to auction in England on June 5—and is expected to bring close to a million dollars!

WOW!

Pack-rat that I am, I don’t believe any of the “treasures” I’ve tucked away from my grandmother’s attic have great monetary value. However, sometimes the treasures that we overlook are not material things. Granny’s gifts of love and encouragement were priceless treasures that I didn’t appreciate until many years later.

Through the years, other adults believed in me and told me so. After I joined the work-force, more mature adults mentored me and opened doors of opportunity for me. All of these persons were encouragers, treasures of great value, although I often didn’t realize it at the time.

Perhaps you now recognize a treasure from your past: a family member, a co-worker, a friend, or even a stranger who shared a kind word. If possible, contact them and let them know they touched your life in a positive way. We'd be honored if you would leave a tribute to them in our comment section as well!

In our book, Building Better Schools by Engaging Support Staff, Sam reminds readers that their words and interactions with students are powerful. You may feel that the encouragement you give students is unimportant, but the words you speak today may be the foundation for a positive and productive adulthood.

Be an encourager for those young people you deal with. Maybe one of your nuggets of encouragement will become a treasure of great value.

Vie Herlocker