The Riverwalk Roar

Happy Sunday, Pride!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Congratulations to our boys and girls cross country teams, who both competed in the State Championship Qualifier this weekend and earned their spots in next week’s State Championships! Go Lions!

When our runners are heading to state, it can only mean one thing . . . it must be November! And November always makes me think of Thanksgiving, and of taking time to reflect on the things I’m thankful for. So over the next few weeks, leading up to our Thanksgiving break, I’d like to invite our whole Riverwalk family into a new series: Thankful Thanksgiving.

Gratitude is one of those things we all know is good for us, but it’s easy to save it for one Thursday in November, say a quick “thank you” around the table, and move on. Research tells us that people who practice gratitude regularly tend to be happier, more resilient, and more connected to the people around them. And like any habit, it grows stronger the more we use it.

Sometimes, though, gratitude doesn’t look like saying thank you at all. Sometimes it looks like passing it forward.

That’s exactly what happened in our carline this Thursday, and it’s why I chose this week’s Photo of the Week. Annalise, one of our Safety Patrol members, was out doing what she does every morning: helping keep our students safe and being a welcoming face as they arrive at school. A family coming through the carline had just bought a Chick-fil-A biscuit from our BPA students, and instead of keeping it, they handed it to Annalise. No announcement, no reason needed. Just a small, kind gesture that made someone’s morning. Take a look at that smile and you’ll see the difference it made.

That’s the heart of this series. Gratitude isn’t only what we feel; it’s what we do with it.

This week also gives us a special opportunity to practice. On Wednesday, November 11, we honor our veterans, the men and women who served so that we can enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. If there’s a veteran in your family or neighborhood, this is a perfect week to let them know they’re appreciated.

And to close out the week, Friday, November 13, is World Kindness Day. Gratitude and kindness go hand in hand: when we notice the good others do for us, we’re more likely to do good for someone else. That family in the carline didn’t need a special day to be kind, but it’s a great reminder for all of us to look for a chance to brighten someone’s day, whether it’s a classmate, a teacher, a neighbor, or a stranger.

This week’s Pride challenge: At dinner one night this week, ask each person at the table, “Who made your day better this week, and how can you pass it forward?” Then pick one idea and make it your family’s act of kindness for World Kindness Day on Friday. A note, a phone call, a small surprise. It doesn’t have to be big to matter.

I’m grateful for each of you, and I can’t wait to see how our Pride passes it forward this month.

In Pride and Purpose,

~Dr. Compton