just a little respect

      

We have all seen this picture before.  It was Monday of this week on the teacher workday.  I was hoping to capture a different picture this morning and I did indeed.

      

Now I am all riled up!  Those are shoe or bike prints made by some child who thinks it's fun to destroy animal life.  I could have cried when I saw this.  I do realize only a few ants were actually stomped on, but why do children feel they have to feel a sense of power by destroying ant hills?

I did it.  You did it.  We all did it.  Some people have told me how they blew up ant hills by pouring gasoline on them and then lighting them.  Ha!  Ha!  I laughed back then, but I don't now.  Now I am just PISSED off!  Enough of that.

Well, after I saw the ant hill I wandered to my classroom and enjoyed the beauty of the ground covering beside my classroom.  Several phlox that believe it is spring with their cute little pink flowers greeting the morning sun.

      

 Then I looked directly across from my classroom door where the car riders wait for their parents in the afternoon.  This is what I saw.

      

Sand.  I did see one fifth grader deliberately kicking loose some of the green growth beside the brick wall and I lit out of my room and screamed,  "Let the plants live!"  After that I gave her and about ten others a lecture about the sacredness of living things, including plants.  One kid smirked and said,  "We cut our grass."  My reply was simple,  "Yes, it's like you getting a haircut."  Then I flipped my body around and secluded myself in my room.  Maybe I was a little embarrassed because of the big deal I made of the situation.

But I firmly believe it is up to us, responsible adults, to teach our children how to respect life.

I know I sound angry, and I admit I was, but I got over it when I downloaded my photos of this morning's sunrise. 

      

        Orange and blue!  Orange and blue!  Go Gators!  Win that championship game tonight!