Partnership Educators,
Zoey is the child of TJ and Courtney Thomas in Atlanta, Georgia. Back in 2020 she was three years old and diagnosed with leukemia. Because her immune system was compromised she couldn’t go trick or treat with all the other kids and in fact, her parents put up a sign to keep others from coming to the door. The sign read, “Cool Costume. Sorry, no candy. child with cancer. See you next year! Have fun!” As mom puts it, “The whole purpose was so we didn’t have to keep telling kids sorry and have disappointed kids.” It is what happened that night that surprised everyone.
There at the foot of the sign, trick-or-treaters left their Halloween candy for the child inside. The doorbell camera showed kid after kid making the same character-defining decision to leave candy, mostly on their own, for the child inside the house. When interviewed some of the children just simply said, “I wanted to give back to them.” The empathy heard and saw was just the medicine the family needed that Halloween. The mom said all she could do was cry. Courtney Thomas also stated, “During this crazy time and everything going on in the world, just the gesture of hey we’re all in this together and just remind each other that there is still hope and love.”
The innocence of youth often leads the way toward the world we want to live in. They aren’t muddled with years of disappointment or knowledge of what could go wrong or how it might really play out. Most times they just see a need and their heart says to fill it. Empathy is a skill that allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of others and react to the situation based on what we think might help if we were that person. Having the perspective of others when it isn’t convenient is often hard to do. I am honored to know that our district has made empathy building a priority as a way for our kids to learn best. The story is in honor of those that work to help our students have opportunities to practice that skill and receive the silent unseen gift inside when they help others without recognition. The pure sense of doing something for others who are in need.
My family would attest that I am a major weeper at all things happy ending. I cried writing this story about the kindness shown to little Zoey. When I was in school, I use to hide it. I saw it as a weakness and would often avoid situations when they might occur. I now understand that crying is one of my strengths because it reminds me to care. I am not suggesting that crying is the only way that empathy and caring are expressed because I know very caring individuals who don’t cry at the drop of a hat like me but they show their strength within their actions every day.
Thank you Partnership family who show your strength every day through your empathetic work with our students. Your caring and understanding attitude builds the foundation of how we do our part in supporting the next generation of empathetic community members. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed.
Have a great weekend,
Rob