I'm a Title 1 Reading/Math Support teacher here at our school, Lincoln Elementary. All day long I see small groups of students for 30 minutes each. They switch out with one another just like the wind changes directions while I'm riding my bike here in Kansas. One minute, it's a first grade group of readers and the next it could be a third grade group of math students. My very first group of every morning is a wonderful group of 3 second graders, two little boys and one little girl. They've been with me since the beginning of the year and we have become friends with one another. I've loved watching them grow and change, realizing their struggle with reading and trying to understand, to figure out the best way in which I can help them. It hasn't always been easy but it has ALWAYS been worth it.
Well, anyways this morning was kind of stressful for me. I've had way too much on my mind, on my "plate" lately and I've found that my usual 5 hours worth of sleep isn't quite cutting it these days. Even trying to take life just "one day at a time" hadn't been working out so well for the past week or so and this morning, well this morning I guess it had just all caught up with me. We were at the final 10 minutes or so of the second grade reading rotation group and I let the kids use the last moment or two to choose a story that they wanted to read for a change. And then, "out of the blue", it happened.
The littlest one of the three, my dear friend Jasmine, got up out of her chair and reached for me, giving me the biggest hug I have ever had. And mind you, as a teacher, one of my greatest perks is the daily dose of "hugs" that I receive from students on a pretty regular basis. But this morning, that little blonde-haired and blue-eyed child gave me the kind of hug that you never want to let go of. I wrapped my old "teacher arms" around her as well and I told her "thank you because I sure did need that Jasmine." And she said the most unusual thing back to me with the most sincere and innocent voice that an 8-year old could have. Her words, "Mrs. Miller you looked like you needed one of them today" really haunted me. How could she have known how stressed out I already felt at such an early hour of the day? I hadn't said a thing out of the ordinary to them~could she read it in my eyes? Did her little heart hurt for mine?
As they left, I realized that little Jasmine had just exhibited the "power of the human touch" and by her kindness in giving me that extra special hug this morning, she was sending me a special yet silent message and the message was this~"You are my teacher and I can tell you are having a hard day. I cannot help you very much for I am just a little kid. But I can hug you to let you know that I am here and that I know some days are hard for even teachers." All those CEO's from the billion dollar companies can talk about their "bonus checks" all they want~a teacher's bonuses are worth way more than theirs will EVER be. Maybe not in cold, hard cash but surely in very precious memories.
Things are just about ready for me to go to New York~when school is over tomorrow afternoon late, Grahame will take Ursela and I to Tulsa where we'll catch the plane to Binghamton in the early morning hours. We'll be spending the night with my oldest son, Ricky in the Tulsa area and it will be the first time that we've all been together for nearly a year. We won't have much time together, but what time we do have will be spent catching up on the latest news for all of us. What a blessing to have been chosen to be their mother~I draw my strength from each of those 3 kids.
It will be strange to leave Kansas and travel to a place so very far away. I am looking forward to seeing the wonderful village and people of Owego and meeting new friends that I've only had the privilege to become acquainted with on Facebook. To meet them in person will be pretty fantastic. 3 days in a village and 3 days in the "city"~this farm girl from Kansas will be in for one eye-opening experience. I'm grateful for the chance to spend this time together with my daughter and my dear niece Jessica in Brooklyn. I'll be safe and not get lost, I promise. For all of the "bad" in this world, there is twice as much "good" just waiting for us to find it and find it, I must. It's part of my journey, it's part of "the plan".
Have a great evening everyone! Take care of yourselves and please, be at peace with yourself and at peace with life. I have found mine. I love you guys all~cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to not have you around. You are that important to me, ALL OF YOU!
The very best reason that I could ever have to come home "safe and sound" from New York~the future! I am more than ready to be there. I have been blessed, beyond my wildest of dreams.
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