I just read the completed coursework from a student in our M.Ed. program who took Introduction to Humane Education this semester. One of the principle concepts in this course is that our lives are our message, and that the primary way in which we teach is through example, by modeling the message we hope to convey. One of the things this particular student wrote about was picking up trash whenever she sees it. She does this because she thinks it’s the right thing to do, but it struck her, in the context of modeling her message, that when she does this, she’s “teaching” anyone who sees her.

Indeed.

Since reading her coursework this morning, I’ve been thinking about how I fail to pick up the trash in my path more often than not. My excuses are manifold (I’m far from home; my pockets are tight; it looks yucky; it’s cold, and I’ll have to keep a hand out of my pocket for too long to hold that bottle or can or broken buoy, etc.). My mind and heart say “pick up the trash,” but the convenience-loving, lazy, self-centered part of me often doesn’t comply. But I’m going to change this now. I hope that when I’m alone I won’t think, “No one’s here to model a good message in front of, so I’ll just leave this trash.” I’m just planning to pick up a lot more trash.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | doing the right thing, modeling, My Life is My Message, trash