Deb’s One Little Word For 2017

Frankly, this year’s one little word has been a nag.  My word snuck up on me in October, and it has not left me alone!  I seem to find it, or its meaning lurking everywhere I go.  Just tonight as I was driving home the car in front of me had this plate, BA GR8R U!  Again, there it was, the mantra of my word!

The first time my one little word, bombas, entered my conscious was innocent.  It just popped up in my social media feed.  There it was, bombas, a fun word to say, and there next to the word was an adorable pink bumblebee wearing a tiara.  So, I clicked.  I mean who could resist?

I learned about the Bombas Sock company and the two men who left their nine-to-five jobs to start the company.  I was struck by how they worked to serve others and I began to wonder what I could do to be better and serve others outside of my classroom.  The founders of the sock company explain the mantra of their company with this quote. 

Bees live in a hive.  They work together.  They’re small but their combined efforts make a big impact.

At first, I loved the word, bombas and the mantra of the Bombas Sock company “Bee Better,” reminded me of the dreams I had when I was in college.  I tried the word on, and I tried to envision how I would bring this one little word to life.  And that’s when I realized this word (and it’s mantra) was not little.  It was big, too big for my life now.  I am not the same person I was back in college.  I feared I lacked the time and energy to live up to such a difficult word.  So, I continued my search and left this word for someone else, perhaps someone younger.

As I tried to push the calling of this word aside, it relentlessly sat in the back of my mind rushing forward at random times and without notice.

You see, many years ago I set out full of energy and ready to change the world, and I have changed my part of the world.  My husband and I have built our dream lives.  We have raised two amazing daughters and work in careers we feel we have been called to.  We have successfully made a comfortable life, and we are happy.

So, I should feel accomplished, settled, or even appreciative right?   Well, I tried these words, and words similar to them and again the fit was awkward, and again I felt that familiar pull.

While attending NCTE 2016, I heard and felt the message of advocacy and being active in stepping up for others at every turn.  Again! The tug (or haunting) of bombas mantra working with a hive to do for others. Then it hit me, ready or not, bombas was undoubtedly my one little word for 2017.  And like the creators of the sock company I am not alone!  I have a hive; you and all of the education professionals around me.  Together we are working to make our world a better place for others!

I am not sure where to begin, but I do know I can always do better with my hive!  

If you would like to join me in creating and doing random acts for others in our world, please do!  If you’d like to share, I would love to hear all about how you’re reaching out!

Here are a few of my beginning ideas:

• Volunteer at our local children’s hospital comforting infants born prematurely as a result of maternal drug use.  
• Become a Big Sister.
• Volunteer at an inner city library to support young readers in developing a relationship with books.
• Read to children in the hospital,
• Contact our local urban city schools for ideas where and how I can be helpful.
• Order socks for those closest in my hive!