It’s a simple pumpkin sugar cookie with orange sprinkles.

That’s what it is at first glance.

But it’s actually an affirmation that life is all about the little things.

Each year on Halloween if students purchase an entire meal at lunch, they get this cookie free. 

During my lunch supervision time as a middle school counselor, I volunteer to cashier during 7th grade lunch. This lunch period serves approximately 200 students.

You wouldn’t believe how many kids were genuinely excited when I offered them a cookie.

“Really?!”

Not the sarcastic, middle school, “Really?” response, but a genuinely excited response. Like, they couldn’t believe they were being offered a free cookie.

And I have three takeaways from it.

#1: Middle school students like simple things.

In a world where we think the bigger the better, that isn’t always the case.

Simple gestures are still appreciated, more than we might anticipate.

Think about it. 

When someone smiles at you, doesn’t that make you feel pretty good? When someone opens the door for you, doesn’t that make you feel pretty good? When someone picks up something you dropped, doesn’t that make you feel pretty good?

Those are the little things. 

Instead of getting caught up in the next big thing, focus on the little ones. They matter more than you realize. 

#2: Middle school students are still pretty innocent.

I am completely biased, because this is my world as a school counselor in a middle school. 

From my perspective, though, middle school students are still pretty innocent. They enjoy a kind gesture. They respond to praise. They want to do well. Yes, even the tough kiddos, maybe even more so.

They do kind things for each other, and they don’t care if an adult is watching or not. They just do it. 

Not because they have to or are looking for something in return. Just because. 

#3: Middle school students need less, not more.

The world is vying for their attention. This generation has been growing up with a screen in their face a majority of the time.

One of the aspects I love about our lunch routine is that there are no screens. Kids have conversations with each other. They laugh, they sit in silence, or they have serious conversations. They have the option to go to open gym after lunch to burn off some pent up energy. Most do. 

This is the one time of the day when they hang out with no academic expectations for 30 solid minutes. They get to give their brains and eyes a break.

They simply get to be kids.

In Conclusion.

There is a lot of chaos in the world right now. Despite this, I wanted to share that there is also a lot of good happening. 

The problem is that we are letting the chaos overshadow the good.

I’m challenging you to look for the good and then share it with others.

Cheers!