P.S.A. about the P.T.A.

I recently read a comment on Facebook. It compared the PTA to the mafia. That person went on to say she was going to stay far away from the PTA mom variety. I immediately felt like it was personal. It was like a personal attack. But really… it had nothing to do with me. It hit home.

It angered me because I know how hard the PTA works & I know they are the backbone to the schools they work in. Their hearts are in it to better their schools & better the communities that they live in.

Hmmm… I’m one of those PTA moms. Let me tell you what the PTA moms do based on one year of being one.

Here’s a snippet of what they are responsible for:

1.) Provide multiple fundraising opportunities in order to have teachers aids in every single classroom, every single day. The more money raised = the more teachers aides= the more hands available to help our children= the more successful our children become! How’s that for the mafia?!

2.) Raise money for classroom supplies, classroom projects, teacher birthdays, Christmas gifts, & teachers aides appreciation gifts. Mafia whaaat?!

3.) Raise funds for Teacher Appreciation Week. Mafia, really?!

4.) Participate in fundraisers to raise additional funds for whole school activities. What is the definition of mafia, again?

4.) Decorate doors. Does the mafia do that?

5.) Help in classrooms on a weekly & consistent basis by facilitating center activities, prepping materials for engaging art activities, teach art masterpiece, making copies, etc. Mafia, huh?!

6.) Creating sign up geniuses for end of the year teacher cash gifts, collecting cash gifts, & putting gifts together in a creative & attractive way. Not sure the mafia would do that!

7.) Volunteering their time for autism awareness week, childhood cancer awareness week, RedForEd activities, & multiple other activities. Not mafia related.

7.) Running the book fair. Hmmm, mafia isn’t into that!

Be careful about stereotyping one group of peeps based on meeting a select few. What happens when we stereotype? We close doors on building really amazing relationships with a lot of truly awesome and caring people who truly want to make a difference in the world. When we only stick to one type of group, or only people that are like us, we close off & miss out on opportunities to grow, we miss the mark on becoming better people, we stop learning new things, & we completely miss out on connecting with others.

So, don’t meet one or two from a designated group & decide that you know the group as a collective because you don’t.

How often do we stereotype based on one person’s Facebook post, a piece of gossip, one person’s opinion, a single comment, one random thought, or more?

What are we shutting out when we do this? What lessons are we missing out on? What are we gaining from shutting the door on those that may do things differently, make different choices than we do, are unique, & may not be of the popular variety? A lot. We miss out on a lot.

I think of Jesus. Jesus accepted all into his heart. Love thy neighbor. Jesus loved the banished. He sought out the prostitutes. He hugged the homeless. He embraced the sinners. He cared about the lonely. He cared for the weak. He empowered the blind. He helped the deaf. He cared about the immobile. He embraced the oddballs.

Our brains are wired to categorize, edit, sort, fix, alter, & put people and things in boxes that are alike & different. The truth is no one person is better than another. No one person is less than another. We all matter the same amount & it’s time we act as such.

What would happen if we didn’t categorize, edit, sort, fix, alter, or put people & things in boxes with labels? What if we looked at each person as a new experience, as a way to grow, a learning experience, & a way to evolve? What if we met others where they were & accepted one another as is. What if we stopped calling others wrong? What if we accepted others in their purest forms? What if we just embraced each other & accepted one another for all of their essence? What if?

What would the world look like if we were all one human race… one large group just making our way through the world as best we can given the skill sets we have? What if we looked at each person as a lesson to become a better being? What if we chose to see the good? What if we decided not to participate in gossip? What if we decided to make up our own minds?

Think twice the next time you hear a blanket statement about a person or a group of people.

Walk away from people who do not serve you.

Don’t peruse Facebook looking for shit talkers. You will always find them! Instead, list how we could make the world better based on our strengths & weaknesses.

Do not participate in shit talking about people. Walk away. You do have a choice.

Take the time to forgive, give people grace, & give peeps the benefit of the doubt.

Look for the good in every human being. Look for ways to grow. Look for life lessons others have to offer, for they are all gifts. We are all gifts. We all matter.

Don’t stereotype. There is enough hate in the world.

Be a do-gooder.