Fun Monday - Words...Inspire, Expire
The words spoken were not inspiring in their delivery. The person who ran with them wasn’t me. And, the life changing event belonged to someone else. But I remember it all so very well.
My friend Evonne was a skinny little curly haired moppet. We weren’t best friends, but we were close. We shared a classroom every year from 2nd through 8th grade. High school tumbled us into other peer groups and our friendship was loosely maintained. But then the incident happened during our senior year that changed her life forever.
Mrs. L was very old. Had anyone asked, I would have suggested she was 107. She was Evonne's and my senior advisor. I don’t recall one word the woman spoke to me during counseling. However, I do remember what she said to Evonne.
On one particular day a very distraught and teary-eyed 17-year old left Mrs. L’s office.
Evonne sobbed from behind a soggy tissue to her friends that day. “She might as well have told me I was stupid.”
“She told me ‘You are not college material.’ Can you believe she said that?” Evonne questioned.
Then the still tiny, but spunky frizzy haired young woman made a bold statement.
“I’ll show her!”
…and then she did!
Evonne‘s curly head was nose down in her studies the remainder of that year. Following graduation she found employment and began working her way through college. She finished her 4 years and headed to graduate school. Not very many years later I heard that she was a PHD and a professor at a university in Tennessee.
Negative words don’t always prompt someone to invest in themselves so wisely. Whenever I think of the inspiration and motivation that pushed Evonne, I am also reminded that there are many others who are overwhelmed and discouraged by the carelessness of our words.
My inspirational quote today IS in honor of my old friend Evonne (I know you are out there somewhere. )
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Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
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Get your weekly Fun Monday fix by joining the other participants hosted by Pensieve. I promise - this week will be inspirational.
Comments
What a inspiring story too!!!
My Fun Monday will be up tomorrow.
I thought he was right so I just quit trying!!!!!!
I hate that people who have such influence on our kids can be so unkind, but that's life I suppose, and there are more that do good. :D
Good for your friend. That took a lot of guts.
Doesn't it make you sad to know that Evonne most likely wasn't the only person to ever hear that, though? I wonder what happened with the others....:/.
(I'm having so much fun this week...I wanna bookmark EVERYONE'S page!)
:)
Love the Proverbs verse...
xo
Great idea to use negatively spoken words as inspiration!
Jennifer
and good for evonne that she was inspired to conquer rather than lick her wounds and retreat.
"I will show her!" can be a quote as well! Madison uses it a lot maybe not out loud but in her actions when ever someone doesn't think she is capable of something.
Hugs and blessings,
I needed that inspiration today.
Thank you for this dear Pamela!
Hugs,
Sue
Your friend must have been a special person to take that advisors words to heart, and do something about it..... nice post Pamela...... judy
Thank you.