Pass it On!

It’s that time of the year in the life of an international school. Teachers, administrators, and staff seem to have a never ending to do list and many students, teachers and families may be facing significant transitions in their lives. This reality can occasionally cause  us to miss what is right; to allow exhaustion and even illness to creep in, to miss the opportunity to smile, and spread the goodness that is present in each moment, if we stop to notice it…right there.

When one of our two wonderful librarians, Leslie, stopped by my office to share with me the latest Sophy Henn book Pass it On,  she said, “This is one of those books you’ll love, Elsa.” And she was right. It turns out Sophy’s book was named The Times Book of the Week back in February and in my opinion, that is a well deserved recognition. I have had it sitting on my bookshelf for over a month. I have read it a few times and benefitted from its bright, cheery, kind and happy message, and have wondered when to make the best use of it by sharing it with others.

I woke up this morning feeling like today was the day! There is so much going on at our school right now: amazing musical performances, field trips, assessments,end of year routines, an intensive head of school search, and the omnipresent reality t
hat our colleagues are still facing injustice. It is easy to succumb to negative emotions, operate from a deficit model, and ultimately miss out on the power we hold when we:

• smile
• chuckle at silly things
• notice what’s amazing
• wonder
• find the fun in moments of time AND
• Pass it all on!

Henn’s book is a wonderful reminder that kindness, a positive outlook and a mindful attention to each moment in our lives can make a huge difference, not just in how we perceive our existence, but also how we contribute to the existence of others. And so, I encourage you to read Sophy’s book. I am certain you’ll love it and hope you too Pass it On!