Jemma's Tales
Discovering Kindness On A Yellow School Bus
January 14, 2018
Good Morning Friends and welcome to The Perk Project where I am about to share with you all a true story about how I managed to survive the first weeks of Kindergarten as a Scaredy cat and discover kindness on my Yellow School Bus. It was just an ordinary day in the life of one young boy, but he made all the difference in my life that day and from that day forward. It was a defining time in my life on the value and importance of sharing kindness and the importance of spreading it around like glitter and confetti every day of our lives. Kindness is so easy to give and it means so very much.
I am going to just tell it like it was.
I was terrified of everything.
The School.
The Teacher.
The Playground.
The Classmates.
THE SCHOOL BUS.
I will always remember the lessons I learned about kindness that the silver toothed boy showed me that day. I also know that the youngest of humans to the oldest need lots of love, understanding, patience, consideration, respect and of course always kindness.
I also will always remember, to never judge a book by it's cover!
Thank you for joining Stacey and I for this last segment of The Perk Project! I appreciate each one of you and the kindness that you share with your comments and by subscribing too.
If you'd like to catch up with previous posts from The Perk Project you can find them right here at Jemma's Tales.
Thank you again and please don't forget to download your free 5x7 Valentine graphic on my sidebar!
Junk Chic Cottage/ The Marmelade Gypsy/ Lavender Dreams/County Road 407
French Ethereal/ Patina and Paint/ Bluesky At Home/Poofing The Pillows
Growing up in rural America in the late 1950's was great!
I loved growing up on the farm, I felt so safe. Some people might think it was too sheltered, cloistered, protected, even isolated. But to me it was perfect, I had acres and acres of streams to explore and trees to climb. Our closest neighbor was about a mile away, so making a trip to Town was saved for once a week. Play dates were riding my Schwinn Bicycle with my dog running along side me and any extra time was spent on the Ford tractor with my Dad or snapping beans with Mom. We were a very close family that relied on one another for just about everything. So it really is no surprise that as Summer turned to Fall and I turned five that the thoughts of Kindergarten were terrifying. |
| Old Ford Tractor |
I am going to just tell it like it was.
I was terrified of everything.
The School.
The Teacher.
The Playground.
The Classmates.
THE SCHOOL BUS.
THE REAL REASON WHY I WAS TERRIFIED OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
I might not have been so terrified if my elementary school had been closer to my home. But instead it was 7 miles away. Mama took me to school for the first week to sort of ease me in. But you can easily see that after 5 days of driving back and forth it was way too much gas and wear and tear on the family car.A LESSON ABOUT TO BE LEARNED
So on that Monday morning in September when Mama put me on my yellow school bus little did I know that on the return trip home from school I was about to learn a whole lot about life. I was going to discover one person can make a big difference,that appearances are indeed deceiving and that kindness comes in the most unexpected packages!FEELING POSITIVE ABOUT KINDERGARTEN
Even to this day I remember feeling very positive about Kindergarten on that Monday afternoon. I'd enjoyed my graham crackers and Kool-Aid, played on the monkey bars with my school friends and hugged my Teacher. The school day was drawing to an end and I was about to go home. (The place that I loved most in the entire world!) I climbed onto the school bus and scooted onto the torn bus seat as far over as I could possibly go. I sort of wanted to disappear into the corner and when you are five that is a pretty easy thing to do.
THE BOY WITH THE SILVER TOOTH
As I stared out the window of the yellow bus and hoped and prayed that the "big," boy with the one silver front tooth wouldn't sit by me. I had a pretty good imagination, so I set my mind to imagining the cinnamon rolls that Mama would have made for me and that eased my anxiety. But then, there was a plunk beside me and the green seat lurched. The boy with the silver tooth gave me a smile. |
| Crumpledenvelop.tumblr.com |
My worst fear had become my reality.
I looked out the window and sobbed. I sobbed so hard that I didn't even notice that the bus driver drove right past my red brick house. But the silver toothed boy did. It was in that moment of utter desperation that only a five year can feel, that the silver toothed boy saved me. He stood up and told the bus driver that he'd passed my house and that he needed to turn the bus around so I could get off.I will always remember the lessons I learned about kindness that the silver toothed boy showed me that day. I also know that the youngest of humans to the oldest need lots of love, understanding, patience, consideration, respect and of course always kindness.
I also will always remember, to never judge a book by it's cover!
Thank you for joining Stacey and I for this last segment of The Perk Project! I appreciate each one of you and the kindness that you share with your comments and by subscribing too.
If you'd like to catch up with previous posts from The Perk Project you can find them right here at Jemma's Tales.
Thank you again and please don't forget to download your free 5x7 Valentine graphic on my sidebar!
Sharing some beautiful links on kindness.
Junk Chic Cottage/ The Marmelade Gypsy/ Lavender Dreams/County Road 407
French Ethereal/ Patina and Paint/ Bluesky At Home/Poofing The Pillows
Hi Jemma, just added my link at Stacy's so it should be there. I can see where to ADD the links, but I don't see any link that shows what others have added and I'd love to visit them. Am I missing something?
ReplyDeleteAnd I love this story. A wise lesson at an early age. Did you ever get to know the boy with the silver tooth a little better?
Good Morning Jeanie,
ReplyDeleteWe are troubleshooting the problem now. If we can't find a resolution soon, we will gather up your post and anyone else who is participating and include them as a sort of blog hop. I apologize for this inconvenience.
I did get to know the boy with the silver tooth a bit better. He was three years ahead of me, and we ended up square dancing together!
I'm happy to be linking today too! Love your post and the cute images you used! Thanks for making this project something we can all take part in and feel encouraged by. Happy Monday! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteOh, I LOVE this story and the pictures are perfect! Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful story of an individual soul's story to show us we are not alone. I've got some doozies to tell as well. Kindness however, was always and still is the balm that makes a rough day much easier to take, and I've come to learn that kindness is the ONLY doorway to heaven on earth as well as eternal paradise. Long live the teachings of Christ, long live the souls that walk in the path of kindness.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Diane!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you are sharing your thoughtful post on Kindness! You made my day to see your sunshiny note.
Hugs,
Jemma
Eilis,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! It was great era to grow up...although I most certainly did date myself!
Oh my wonderful and vibrant friend!
ReplyDeleteKindness is the ONLY doorway to heaven here on this earth and for eternity most certainly! Thank you for stopping by today. So appreciated.
[…] have two new Blogger friends that have joined together to bring you the Perk Project. Hi Stacey, Hi Jemma! The posts are about being positive and encouraging one another. Stacey asked if I’d like […]
ReplyDeleteI'm soooo glad that the boy with the silver tooth turned out to be nice! It's amazing how just a little kindness can change a person's whole day! My scariest days were when I began 7th grade. I was the little haouli girl who'd just moved from Hawaii to California and I was fast learning NOT to become a target for the bullies at school, and one girl in my P.E. class in particular. Luckily, I made some good friends and found that standing up to her just once made her back down but the pinch on the neck that I received that day she told me was a "hickie" I remember to this day. Funny that she didn't know what a hickie was, either! Good friends coming to one's aide is always a good thing! Life lessons I always do try to follow. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday and thank you for sharing,
Barb :)
p.s. Pinned and scheduled several of your sweet images for you! <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Jemma for sharing this wonderful story about the yellow school bus kindness. It is amazing where we find kindness usually in the most unlikely places which makes it even more special. I loved joining in the perk project this week and sharing how kindness is shared in my life. You are Stacey are the kindest bloggers and this perk project is uplifting and so meaningful. Thank you for sharing and caring.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Kris
Isn't it funny how we remember so much about the fear of beginning school? We didn't have kindergarten in my school district but I definitely remember the first day of first grade. I was terrified just like you! I remember the kindness of my teacher. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed all these wonderful posts that you and Stacey have written. Funny that I don't remember my first day of school, other than my mother walking me there and back.
ReplyDeleteSuper duper post. I imagine you running around the farm probably filthy by days end (as we all were). Sweet story. Great pictures too. Loved it all!
ReplyDeleteAww... my heart is sad for your five year old self! But what a wonderful lesson. I am always amazed at which lessons stick with us. I love this project. Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat, great series of posts, and I love this one! I have that book my Robert Fulghum - one of my favorites! ♥
ReplyDeleteI think most children really want to be kind, especially when they come from a loving family. When my husband was a little boy all the children in the neighborhood walked to the entrance of the neighborhood to catch the school bus. He says one morning when he was 6 yrs old, he walked down & noticed his beloved dog had been hit by car & lay dead on the highway. All the other kids were there & most of them, were of course older. He wanted to cry but was embarrassed & tried to hold it all in. Another boy came over, slung his arm around his shoulder & said, 'It's ok Charlie, you can cry.' And that's just what he did. No one laughed or made him feel bad for crying.
ReplyDeleteOf course, these children were the ones he played with all the time, along with his dog but still it's one of my favorite stories of kindness.
What a sweet story. I love your graphics. Precious.
ReplyDeleteI love this story, Jemma. It is so sweet. Kindness matters and you never know what kind of package it's going to arrive in. I love that yours was a unexpected shiny one! ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful storyteller you are Jemma! I truly enjoyed this precious story you have shared, and how something you feared didn't come to pass, and instead kindness saved the day. What a wonderful childhood you had, and how blessed you were to grow up with such love and freedom. Truly what children are missing today are those opportunities to explore their world without fear, but sadly, tis not the case any longer for most. Thank you for sharing this walk down memory lane, it was a blessing to read :)
ReplyDeleteOh, what a sweet, precious story! I just LOVED it. I read it to my husband and son. Thank you for sharing it with us and for bringing a smile to our faces! Sending love and hugs to you, sweet friend. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked your story, Jemma. That big boy with the silver front tooth sure helped you out that day, didn't he? How nice it must have been to grow up on a farm. Lots of places to explore and use one's imagination. I'm sure it was a bit scary having to drive the school bus about seven miles to school. I was very fortunate with my grade school being right up the road, and got to walk home every day. Oh, the kool-aid, the graham crackers, and the Schwinn bicycle. It all brings back so many good memories for me, Jemma. Thank you for that. : ) And I love that last picture of the little girl sighing in the classroom, that's so funny. I remember those humdrum school days too.
ReplyDeletelove, ~Sheri
Hi Jemma, Thank you for sharing your delightful story. It's amazing how one interaction with one person can affect us so greatly and create a lifelong memory. As I started to read your story, it brought to mind a similar experience during my youth. I think you've inspired me to share my story on my blog. If I do, I will reference this post as my inspiration. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteJenny, Thank you for sharing your husband's childhood story. It sure brought a tear to my eye. Joan-MyCookieClinic
ReplyDelete