I’ve been trying to remember that each crazy left turn in
life is a gift. And these gifts
aren’t ones we seek, want or plan, and that we have to accept them with grace
and dignity.
And some days I forget.
My heart was heavy as I walked into school today,
remembering that my days in kindergarten were numbered. I had a lump in my throat and a pain in
my heart that would not be eased.
That tiny seed called bitterness was beginning to work its evil, and
could feel its pangs in my heart.
I didn’t like it.
I spent the day a bit melancholy, and tried hard to remember
why I loved teaching in the first place.
It was hard. I left the building at the end of the day in a fog and
headed home to meet my brother. He
was my knight in shining armor today, coming over to remove an incredible
amount of water in my basement, fix the leaking pipes in the kitchen, and do a
thousand other things that I simply could not do myself.
We gobbled down the hoagies I had purchased at a
fund-raiser and I thanked him profusely for coming to my rescue. And, because he really is the best
brother in the world, he reminded me that I was going to be fine; that I was
doing an amazing job- and that no matter WHERE I would be teaching, I would
love it.
And he was right.
After he left I grabbed my car keys, and made the short
drive to my new building.
Surprisingly, the doors were open, and I made my way through the
somewhat empty school. I wandered
up and down the halls, peeking into classrooms and looking at the teacher names
that were posted outside each one. I smiled as I put names to faces, and thought about how the building
would feel when teeming with children and their teachers.
And then I heard voices. They came from children who were sitting on the floor in the
gym. I could hear them as they
talked about a particular book they were reading and I was transfixed. Their animated discussion threw
me back in time to when I taught second grade; and I loved it.
I stood against the wall and listened for a few more
minutes, and then I knew. I KNEW
that this change would be amazing, uplifting, and wonderful. I remembered that I laughed, loved, smiled, learned and knew
joy in EACH grade I had taught.
And I would again.
I’m ready. I believe I’m ready for that next turn in the road; and I can’t
wait to see who’s waiting for me when I get to where I’m going.
I just hope his name rhymes with Frank.
