CEO REFLECTIONS
I have a very clear memory of when I was in preschool and there was a boy in my class named Joe. Joe wasn’t like the other kids, but I didn’t care. I really liked Joe.
We would climb the dome-shaped jungle gym together and laugh, even though Joe wasn’t verbal.
One day, Joe pulled my ponytail really hard. It hurt and made me cry. I didn’t understand why he would do that, so I went home and told my mom I didn’t want to be friends with him anymore.
My mom explained that Joe probably didn’t mean to hurt me. He just wanted my attention, and because he couldn’t call my name, he did it in the only way he knew how.
That made perfect sense to my preschool brain.
The next day, I went back to the playground, asked Joe not to pull my hair, and we happily continued to be playground pals.
I’ve thought about that conversation many times over the years. With one simple explanation, my mom taught me to look beyond someone’s actions and try to understand the person behind them. She taught me that people who communicate, learn or experience the world differently deserve understanding, inclusion and the opportunity to belong.
What an extraordinary lesson for such a little girl to learn. Thank you, mom.
