Thoughts from Mr. Cox – September 21

Good morning Garden Spot!

As fall approaches I find myself in awe of the little things that make life great. I absolutely love this time of year, with the leaves changing colors and the temperatures becoming a bit cooler. This is also the time of year when the sunrise is occurring during my morning commute to work. Watching the sun rise on the horizon as it’s light peaks through the trees and fog that often spreads over the fields of Lancaster County in the early morning has a way of putting a smile on my face before I even arrive at school… and then I get to see all of you and my satisfaction with life grows even more! Take the time to enjoy the things that are free for all of us to enjoy. Put down your cell phones for just a few minutes and really watch as the colors of the morning sunrise spreads across the skies… watch the colors change and the darkness turn to light… it is hard to not enjoy that time if you really just slow down and take the time to watch it.

Reminders:

This Thursday, September 24, the ELANCO Health Council will be hosting a Family Movie Night behind the tennis courts in between the two softball fields. The showing of Big Hero 6 is free and will begin at 6:45 pm. This is one of my favorite movies, and I would encourage you to enjoy an evening outdoors and take advantage of this opportunity. There will be concessions available during the showing. A giant thank you to the Health Council for their efforts in arranging this event.

Teacher Spotlight:

This week I would like to take the opportunity to spotlight a teacher who has been dedicated to this district for many years. She believes in the students she teaches, and cares deeply about their success. If you have ever had the privilege of having her as a teacher, you are undoubtedly better for it. She pushes every student in her classes to reach greater heights than they have ever reached before, and unlocks in them a confidence that they can achieve at a greater level then they ever thought possible. If you have ever had Ms. Martin as an English teacher, you understand how true these words are, and you should take a moment during this week to thank her for caring enough to push you to be the best you can be. If you have not, think about the teacher who came to mind as you read the opening to this paragraph and make sure they know how appreciative you are that they believed in you even when you may have been doubting yourself.

Personal Challenge:

Relationships with those around you matter, and how you treat them matters. If you have a life full of drama it is likely the result of broken relationships, and only you have the ability to change that. I often speak to students who have constant conflict in their lives and they think that everyone else is the problem. It is important to realize that if you have conflict with others on a regular basis it is likely not all of them that are the problem, but rather something in how you respond to them. While those who need to hear this message most will likely brush it off, the reality is that relationships are a two way street. You have the power to determine how you respond to those who mistreat you, and how long to hold on to the wrongs they have committed against you. You have the power to determine whether or not to get upset about every little thing that happens, or to learn how to let it go. And you have the power to gossip about those who have wronged you, which keeps the drama going, or to take the high road and let it go.

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You cannot control the misery of others, or their desire to cause conflict in your life, but you certainly can control your response to it. Let them drown their days with bitterness and conflict, but choose not to let those things conquer you. If you engage in the same things that you claim to be so upset about, then you are inviting their drama and problems into your life. Life is so much better when you make the decision to treat people better than they deserve. As you do that you find that people respond to you better, and your day to day is more enjoyable. As you do that you find that less people have a reason to treat you poorly, and because of that you experience less drama in your life. You also find that you become a person who others look to as a role model, and with that comes a great deal of pride.

As you move through the coming weeks I challenge you to try… just try to be a person who treats everyone well. Don’t talk about others, don’t talk back to others, don’t engage in the back and forth that makes things that are not that big of a deal into something bigger than they are, and to not allow yourself to be held hostage by hostility. You can only control yourself, and I promise you that the better you treat others, even those who may have wronged you, the more enjoyable your life will be. You will find that people who used to stay away from you because they didn’t want your drama in their lives will start to enjoy your company, and those who used to have problems with you will find someone else to target with their own inability to understand and embrace the words I have written in this section.

Be respectful, treat others well, put a ’10’ on the heads of everyone you come in contact with at all times, and you will find that every day is a little more enjoyable. Be a person who others are drawn to, not a person that others avoid. Your actions will determine how others respond to you, and only you can control how you treat others. Decide to live life in peace with those around you, and watch the incredible difference that it has on how much you are able to enjoy each day.

Have a great week ladies and gentlemen!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School

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