Stale Cereal (10-03-06)

In my living room, atop a bookcase in a place of honor, sits a box of stale AlphaBits Cereal.

At least I think it is stale. The box is approaching its seventh year in my possession and has never been opened. I am not aware of the half-life of unopened cereal. Does breakfast cereal have a half-life? I digress.

The box was presented to me as a token of appreciation for my directorial efforts concerning one of the last plays I ever produced for Wheatland High School: Whodunit and to Whom. The box of Alphabits breakfast cereal was signed by the cast and crew and signified that the play was about a writer, as well as the fact that I often brought breakfast for our 7:00 am practices.

I have always been much blessed with thanks. Currently, one of the bulletin boards in my office contains several of the cards of appreciation I have received this year alone. I cherish every card, every gift, each time someone took a few minutes out of their busy lives to sign their name, to lick an envelope, to say “Thank you, we noticed the good you have done.”

Unfortunately, not everyone is as blessed as I am. Recently, a high school employee told me of how, after putting in a long day in the service of a group of students, only one out the entire group even bothered to say thank you. The employee felt that his actions were taken for granted, and we lamented that fact that many of our young people don’t seem to know how much is done for them, or how much it means to us when they say or show their appreciation.

But it is not too late to teach these fine young people how to say thank you. While there are many times that they walk away without so much as a nod of gratitude, there is also my box of stale cereal. It shows how some person, probably a parent, took the time to teach a group of students the art of appreciation.

During half-time of the Norton Football game, the Norton marching band displayed a bit of class by turning to the visitors’ stands, reforming into an “H” and a “C” and playing the Hill City fight song (which, according to the announcer is also the Norton fight song, which is also the Fort Hays State fight song, which is also the fight song of Northwestern University…which is also the fight song of about a third of the high schools in America…more on that in a later column!). After their performance, our gracious fans applauded with gusto. Later, two members of the Norton band came into the visitor’s stands, waved their hands to get our attention, and then told us:

“Thank you for clapping. The band really appreciated it!”

Moments like this, along with a box of stale cereal, remind me that there is hope. Help me and everyone at HCHS to teach our wonderful kids just how much it means when they show some appreciation.

Thank you for reading this and thank you for your time.