I Know This One

As I was working on a crossword puzzle, I knew the word I needed but it didn’t come to me immediately. Instead of saying to myself, “I can’t remember,” I said, “I know this one.” So, what’s the difference? One closes my mind to remembering the word. The other opens the pathways to find the word.

The mind is powerful. We can change our attitude. We can uplift our spirits or push ourselves down. We can see our troubles in a new light and find ways to tackle them. We can even change our body chemistry. Some people may say, “No way!” But, think about it… if we can create an ulcer from too much worrying, we can change our health for the better.

Our mindset influences how we view and react to other people. My first lesson about the power of the mind came when I was working in a daycare centre for children 18 months to three years old. There was one 20-months-old boy who I just didn’t like. To admit that to myself was a shock. How can anyone not like a toddler?

Bobby wasn’t exactly endearing. He cried easily and sometimes lay on the floor whining. When I realized that I really didn’t like him, I decided that something had to change – my attitude. I decided to make Bobby my special responsibility. It was time to see him through different eyes. Standing back and observing, I saw him crying. When I went over to him, I noticed that his shoe lace was undone. “Do you need help”’ was all I needed to say. He immediately stopped crying. From that day on, I had a little shadow following me around saying, “Help.” Bobby taught me two valuable lessons. Often there is more than meets the eye, and having a mindset limits me and has an effect on others. He is one of my fondest memories.

Back to “I know this.” – We can also say, “I believe this.” When we open our minds to really see children’s abilities, we see their potential. When we see their potential, our minds are open to all the possible ways to enrich their lives.