Nearly three years ago, I picked up my new mentee armed with hammocks so we could enjoy the late summer afternoon. Setting up a hammock is something I had done before, yet on this day, with 11-year-old Keidi watching me, I was struggling.
At one point, I stepped back, took a deep breath, channeled The Little Engine that Could, and started repeating out loud, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can….”. The set-up suddenly came together, and we were soon reclining in our hammocks.
Over the weeks, months, and years since then, Keidi has shared that she has embraced this verbal motto to get her through various challenges. It has been nice to know it is a strategy she finds useful.
Recently, my now 14-year-old mentee and I went to the pool where we floated, played catch, and chatted. At one point, we used our floaties to create a game and took turns tossing small balls into our makeshift target. It wasn’t long before I became a little disappointed because my lobs were rarely hitting the mark.
Seeing this, Keidi retrieved the balls, tossed them to me, and gently said, “I think I can. I think I can.” I smiled, spoke the words out loud before each toss, and scored repeatedly. Amazing! Keidi soon responded by doing the same. We had a lovely conversation about the power of mindset to help us achieve our goals, and I thanked her for being an inspiration to me during the years we’ve been together.
As a mentor, my role is to be a friend and positive role model. I am not able to predict which moments will turn out to be meaningful. I can, however, take a moment to realize that a failed hammock setup three years ago has reverberated through our relationship and each of our lives. The bond I have with this beautiful human enriches my life. I am grateful for her.