Baba the StorytellerAlthough thoroughly exhausted today, I had one of the most amazing days yesterday. I truly love my work. I know that many of the things I talk about might seem minuscule when compared to things going on in the world at large but, for me, these little things are what make up the quality in our lives.

I was giving workshops at an elementary school yesterday. One of those schools where they just tell me to come and do what I do for their children without the bureaucratic ends/outs I so often encounter. So the concept I chose to deal with was effective oral delivery.

I’ve been to the school before, so when I arrived I received the typical warm greetings from the front office staff and spent a few minutes conversing since I was a bit ahead of schedule. While we were talking I heard a young boy yelling my name from the principal’s office (never a good place to be for me during my youth). He ran out and gave me a big hug and he and I talked for a good 30 seconds.

Later that day, about the third workshop, that same young boy was in session with me and about 30 other children. We had a wonderful time exchanging information, learning from one another and practicing our oral delivery techniques. Things went really well. I felt like I accomplished something this day and left the school with that feeling of worth that’s a little hard to describe unless your into providing service to your community.

As I was walking out of the school, the principal and the assistant principal stopped me to talk with me. They explained that the little boy who hugged me earlier was in their office because he was being expelled from school for a period of time due to some inappropriate behavior on campus (I can attest that they are very strict when it comes to the no fighting, pushing, pulling, spitting stuff). I really couldn’t believe that the sweet little kid who had hugged me earlier was actually on the suspension chopping block at the time. The principal then informed me that they lifted his suspension from campus because, and check this out… they lifted his suspension from campus because I was there that day and they wanted him to have time with me in my workshop.

You can’t see it because your reading but there is this unusually wide grin pasted across the front of my face. Proud? Yes, of course, who wouldn’t be honored by a gesture such as this?

Anyway, the principal went on to explain how her methods were child centered and she would do whatever it took to reach each and every child on her campus to help them to become successes.

Wow!

My drive home in the LA traffic didn’t bother me at all this day. I woke up this morning feeling just as good as the day before. Maybe this is why I do what I do.

Dooni, dooni kononi be nyaga da.

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