For the School Counselor

Possibly the ones holding the world together.

Dear Whoever-Is-In-Charge-of-Things,

Please be with the school counselor
who remembered to pack tissues
but forgot to eat lunch.

Be with the one who taped a crayon drawing to the wall
because it made her laugh
and because the kid who drew it hasn’t laughed in a week.

And the one who spent the morning helping a second grader
find the right words for a feeling
that felt too big for any word.

Be with the one who let a kid spin in the swivel chair,
because sometimes that’s the work, too.
And the one who watched a kid walk away
and hopes they come back tomorrow.

Be with the counselor
who sat cross-legged on the floor beside a child
while the cafeteria roared just outside the door
saying nothing at all,
just breathing slow and steady
until the student began to match it.

And the one who remembered to ask about the dead hamster,
even though it’s been three weeks
and nobody else did.

Be with the counselor who knows when to talk,
when to listen,
and when to just hand over a granola bar.

Be especially near the one
who has a drawer for snacks,
a drawer for fidget toys,
and a drawer for the quiet things
kids don’t know how to say out loud.

Give them extra reserves of patience,
band-aids,
wisdom,
courage,
and maybe a charger that actually works with all their devices.

May they find sticky notes when they need them,
the right words when it’s hard,
and at least one email that says,
“You helped.”

Protect their kind hearts,
their tired eyes,
and overwatered office plants.

Be with the ones who waved at the students
who didn’t wave back.
And will wave again tomorrow.

Because love does that.
Because hope does that.
Because they know belonging is built in small, repeated gestures
and that is why they are there.

Bless them for showing up,
for staying soft,
for being the safe place
in a building that’s too loud
and world that can seem too hard.

For the quiet work.
Invisible work.
Vital work.

Let them know
they are making a difference …
…. even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Especially then.

And be with all the students
who walk into their offices unsure,
and walk out
just a little more known.

Again. And again. And again.

As I’ve visited schools this year, it’s often because a counselor invited me. Usually, it’s someone who has used one of my books, videos, or doodles as part of their work. To help a student feel seen, to spark a conversation, or to remind a classroom how to be kind.

In recent months, I’ve had the chance to witness the quiet brilliance of school counselors in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Idaho. What I saw wasn’t flashy. It was better. It was caring, creative, and consistent. It was a glimpse of the world as it could be. People making a massive difference just by being where they were.

So I wrote this.

Because sometimes the only way I know how to say ‘I see you’ is to write it down and send it out into the world.

If this encouraged you in any way, feel free to pass it along to someone else.

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1. Join me for a full day of fun April 26 at CURIOSITY IN ACTION! It will be a gathering of creators, educators, and just really cool humans who care. It’ll also be a chance to see our exhibit I HOPE YOU FAIL BETTER before it closes in May. Information is here.

2. Headed to Hawaii this week to speak at the Global Leadership Conference with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Sharing the stage with folks like Ryan Holiday, Bethany Hamilton, Guy Kawasaki …. and yep, I’m on just before Deepak Chopra. (!!!) More soon.

3. Art prints, signed books, stickers and more can be found in our online shop. Thank you for supporting my work!