Last weekend while driving down I25 from my home near Denver, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico I returned in time to when I was in the first grade. That was a very long time ago! I lived in a tiny Vermont town and attended a one classroom schoolhouse. It was white and had a piano near the windows on the north side of the room and a sizable bell in the cupola of the roof. There were eight grades in that one room at the time.
As I neared the city of Pueblo, south of Colorado Springs, I saw a small herd of antelope resting to the west of the highway. My mind immediately wandered to the song that we often sang around the piano during those days. The song was Home on the Range. The lyrics contained the verses:
Home, home on the range;
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word;
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
The drive to Albuquerque takes about 6 hours so I had plenty of time to contemplate those lyrics and they made me think specifically of the phrase “a discouraging word.” Have you ever had flashbacks to things you have said, gestures you have made or actions you have taken that were discouraging to others? If anything like me, when those instances of reminiscing occurred you felt embarrassed, regretful and humbled. Perhaps you were even moved to make an apology or ask for forgiveness.
I remember how it was in that sanctuary that we called a school. There were not many discouraging words spoken. Our teacher was a gentle, sweet woman. She somehow kept the classroom is order without using a heavy hand. She smiled at viewing our enjoyment of the singing around the piano. That mostly took place before our classes started each morning. It was a warm up to begin our day. The room was often frigid on winter mornings because the wood fire had yet to heat the building sufficiently, so singing was a way for us to keep from getting too cold to sit still at our desks. She would compliment us on our excellent participation, regardless of how tone deaf we may have been.
The big bell on the roof had a rope that hung down into the hallway where we hung our coats and was used to ring in the new day by one fortunate student. Our teacher showed obvious pleasure when that excited student pulled down on the rope and announced the village that classes were about to be in session.
One grade at a time was invited to the front of the room for lessons while the other seven were given projects to complete at our desks. The quiet conversation at the front of the room often included statements from our teacher such as “nice job Johnny,” “that’s right Gloria” or “that’s beautiful Virgil.”
And then there was Christmas time and our annual Christmas pageant. We all participated and were in costume to reenact the manger scene and sing Christmas songs. And as far as we all knew, we were professional grade singers and actors as that wonderful woman exhibited encouraging expressions and played the piano while leading us in joyful chorus.
Seldom did we hear a discouraging word inside that building. Outside, the boys would scrap with each other to relief energy while the girls were swinging or playing on the teeter-totter during short recesses or lunch breaks. But inside we were in a different space and atmosphere. With all the “don’t do that” or “you blew it this time” heard, the gentle words and gestures of encouragement were very impactful.
Do you ever stop to think about how you communicate or the actions you take, and how they impact others? Do you ever think about how they influence you? The impact on others is more straightforward to understand but still not easy to control. If you engage in social media, you know that people are frequently incredibly critical of others. It seems to be a public forum where many seem to feel entitled to lash out at everyone from public figures to previous boyfriends and girlfriends. On social media, it seems frequently written “a discouraging word.” As you contemplate that thought, think about the negative impact that can have on the recipients and others of harsh words. And of course, social media is only one example of where that occurs. And, by the way, none of us are exempt from using words, gestures or actions to discourage others, whether intended or in ignorance.
And how does that impact you or I when we behave that way? Is it just something that flies out and leaves us forever or does it have a lasting effect? Consider this, the words of our mouth reflect the meditations of our heart. If we say it, we likely feel and think it. So, if you or I are speaking discouraging words to others, there is something within us of that ilk. People who constantly criticize others are perhaps insecure with themselves or hiding something. Ever been there yourself? I have!
As I pondered that quiet one-room schoolhouse with eight grades in it, I felt a calmness. It was quite like seeing the antelope lying together on the prairie, basking in the late day sun and appearing very content. No predators were trying to disrupt their lives, no storms in sight to weather and nothing arising to discourage them in any way. It was as if God’s way of encouraging them to enjoy the moment and take in the blessings of life they were receiving. You and I are admittedly not God, but we can reflect his love by intentionally encouraging others whenever possible. Who knows, it could become an on-going habit and then who we are and not merely something that we do.