A young learner stopped me in the hallway this morning to share a heartprint with me.  (Heartprints are those beautiful impressions left behind by a deliberate act of kindness.)  The child remembered me asking the question one morning:  “Do you choose to stand BY and do nothing or stand UP and do something?  Are you a BYstander or an UPstander?  Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?”  The child noted:  “These are hard questions, Mrs. Van.  Why do you make us think so much?”  🙂   Yes, these are powerful questions for young learners, especially as we work each day to promote good choices, strong character, and solid foundations.  This young learner was doing her best to bring it all together by willingly sharing her story and choosing to stand UP to help another in need.

I know I’ve said it before:  Heartprints should be the norm and not the exception in our society.  All around us are opportunities to share heartprints with others.  While we cannot give what we do not have, we are all able to give them in some way—support, time, talents, encouragement, advice, attention, praise, honor, respect, enthusiasm, energy, hugs, and so much more.  Here’s hoping we are raising a generation of thinkers who make the choice to stand UP and share heartprints everyday!  🙂