Report Cards

Yesterday was report card day. It came as quite a surprise to me that N, now 13, sent me a pict message with a photo of his grades. Quite a few of his grades had improved since the last marking period.

W, who is 6, showed improvement in basic writing and reading. J, 15, was angry over one grade in the 70's, while the rest of his grades were at or near 100.

Ironically it was "report card day" for me at work too. As soon as I arrived the store manager pulled me into his office and gave me a lecture about my poor performance. I failed in the categories of smart phones and accessories. I came in dead last in the region with the accessory take rate.

There was no "sandwiching" the ugly between my accomplishments (for example, I also sold more phones last month than anyone else in my store. I never show up drunk or spend the day smoking outside. I've completed every required training. I go out of my way to help customers).

Nope. No sugar coating. Just a stern, "Come on. You've been here four months. You should be doing better."

He handed me my "letter of referral" to sign. It's the first of three steps that ends in termination.

It's been tough for me to work through my anger and indignation over my manager's approach and what I perceive as a flawed numbers system. I struggle to accept a failing grade because I've always tried to get high grades, in everything.

Over the years I've had to learn to be patient with a less than perfect, aging body, a historic home constantly in need of repair, and never enough time for housework.

I told the boys this morning that I'm very proud of them. And I reminded myself, and them, that as people (and God's children) we are so much more than a list of grades.

(It's going to take some repeating..."I am more than my sales numbers. I am more than the balanced score card...")