Everything You Said Has Already Happened.
This morning, I left a copy of Dylan’s semester contract on the breakfast table. I highlighted the part that said, “Be downstairs at 6:45 – not 6:50.”
A few minutes after he came downstairs (still five minutes late), Dylan said, “Stop being so smart!”
I wasn’t talking. I was making his lunch and had my back to him. “I didn’t do anything!” I wailed. “And I’m not all that smart.”
“Yeah, but on here you were,” he said. I turned around, and he was pointing to his contract.
“Oh good,” I said. “I like to be smart.”
“I don’t like it, but everything you said on here was true,” Dylan answered. “The first time I read this, I didn’t even pay attention to the part about consequences. But now that I’m looking at it again, I realize that everything you said has already happened.”
“You mean, now that you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, things have changed?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“So what does it say?”
Dylan read:
You will be labeled “dependable” again. You will be considered “mature” and “responsible” (even if you are still your regular, playful self). Teachers will develop a new respect for you and your intelligence. People will start to recognize the kind, funny, genuine person you are, and your attitude toward people could improve. You will recognize your own self-worth. You will realize how much you can do, once you decide it’s worthwhile to actually do it. You will realize the Tortoise had it right, and the Hare … maybe not so much.
Your stress levels will actually drop. Your grades will improve. Your GPA will go up. You may even find a teacher by the end of the year who is willing to write you a letter of recommendation for college. And you might even turn around the beliefs of your drama director, who could give you a larger role in the musical next spring. You will prove to them what we always knew: that you can do it all, if you take it one step at a time.
“And all of that has happened already!” Dylan said, with genuine surprise.
“That’s awesome,” I said. “And you’ve only been doing this for a few weeks. Imagine what will happen if you do this until the end of the year!”
There was a flicker in Dylan’s eyes that made me realize I was pushing my luck.
But hopefully, he’ll keep going anyway. It’s amazingly wonderful to see.