Three Words

I've been on a huge trip lately. A trip down memory lane, that is. I spent a good amount of time tonight looking at my elementary school and junior high yearbooks.

While reading all of the autographs, I came across this entry and it stopped me in my tracks and really made me start thinking.

This was my 7th grade yearbook. I can very clearly remember standing in a line to get Mr. Rogers to sign my yearbook. He was taking a lot of time and writing very nice things for all of my friends. It got to be my turn and he wrote three words. Three words? Three whole words. My feelings were hurt. I know he was writing more than that for my friends. What a bummer.

A few days after he wrote these three words, I found the courage to ask him why he didn't write more for me. After all, I was a good student. Never really in trouble. Paid attention. Practiced my clarinet. Why in the world would he only write three words?

When I asked him why, he simply told me something to the affect of less is more and that it isn't about the number of words but the meaning behind them. Blah, blah, blah. I was going into 8th grade. I didn't get it. Dumb ol' three words.

I found those three words tonight. I looked at them. And looked at them. And then it was all clear to me. He didn't need to say something like 'stay sweet', 'enjoy next year', '2 cute 2 b 4gotten'. He was writing to me and for me.

I think I might get it now.

And it means even more to me today.
Thank you Mr. Rogers.

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And now that I've written this post, I'm coming back to add that I am SO laughing at myself, because you all know that I AM THE WINNER!!! ha ha ha. (Thanks drunk ladies.) Bwaaaa ha ha ha!