We’ve shared a lot about financial blind spots on our Blog lately- things we don’t see or miss in our financial lives that may cause problems later, but blind spots are not confined to just our finances or physically while we’re driving. We can have other blind spots too: social, emotional, and spiritual, just to name a few. I discovered this recently when I began tutoring two kids at Rama Road Elementary as part of a non-profit called Heart Math Tutoring.
The program is focused on helping elementary-aged children, who are struggling with math, develop the skills to be successful. The idea is to catch them early, so I was assigned two first graders, a boy and a girl. It didn’t take long for them to steal my heart! The boy was quick-witted, playful, and a bit mischievous, and the girl was caring, sweet, and silly. Outside of learning, the best part was our long walk from class to the tutoring area and back. I got an inside view into their little worlds. I heard all about their siblings and family, watched them wave at and hug friends, and learned about their favorite games.
As far as the actual tutoring, I knew I would be helping them with math skills, but there was so much more. I realized my impact on them, as well as their impact on me, went beyond just learning number combinations. My blind spot was forgetting to see the limitless potential of every kid, every person for that matter, and how making a connection and giving someone your time is so valuable. In the midst of the daily grind of life, with all of its demands and complexities, it’s easy to miss the simple pleasure of being silly and playful. What good is a lot of success without a little joy? If we miss that, we’ve missed everything. I’m thankful to these kids for opening my eyes to this once again!