I phoned a friend this morning simply to ask about dates, a book, and get an update on her most recent project.  I left a message because she didn’t pick up. Later in the morning I was glad to see my phone light up and her name illuminate on my screen.  We couldn’t talk long because I had to pick up my class from art class, but at least we talked through the reasons I called.

A moment before we ended our conversation, I threw one more in.  I admitted to her that I’m pretty overwhelmed with standardized tests looming and I’m just struggling to know if I should follow the curriculum....

She didn’t skip a beat and she reminded me that while she knows I’m teaching a pretty solid curriculum, she advised me of what I already know to be true. That is, there are still gaps and I need to make the hard but intelligent curricular decisions this calls for. She also reminded me that I’m competent and experienced. But it was what she said next -- two powerful words -- that I needed most.

“Trust yourself.”  

I paused and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Okay. I needed to hear that.” I said gratefully.  

We finished our conversation, but even hours later her words are lingering and I’m ending my week tired but hopeful because I know she’s right.  

Funny how I waited for the end of our conversation to tell her the real reason I called.