About 7:50AM each morning, I pour some cocoa in my travel mug, give Randy and Wyn a goodbye kiss, and crunch ever so carefully to my ice covered van, hoping not to be clobbered by a falling icicle the size of Texas. The bittersweet beginning to a new day.
I have to say, as much as I appreciate my current 7-minute drive to work, I actually kind of miss my 30-minute trek to my previous school in Grand Rapids. The drive gave me time to relax, listen to some news and focus in on the day ahead before my time was consumed with kids and people.
7 minutes is definitely not enough time to do much of anything accept slurp down my cocoa (which almost always burns at least the first row of my taste buds off), and listen to a few minutes of cheesy Christian radio... which I find myself strangely addicted to....
What I DO find myself doing in my brief icy-breathed time in the car is gearing up for the worst- Who will annoy me today- What new challenge will I encounter next- What student will challenge my patience today? I'm not proud of it-but as mentioned in a previous entry, I have been in a funk- in desperate need of perspective... and frankly... a nice tropical vacation to help me recover from this Vitamin-D depriving weather!
I have been noticing another trend on my daily jaunt to work. It happens at about 7:55AM each morning, right after I pass the community church on the left. I come upon a boy walking to school. He looks to be around 3rd or 4th grade, is always alone, is about 3 feet too tall for his navy blue snowpants and looks as if he doesn't have a care in the world.
What I love more about this boy, is the fact that he wears black moon boots to complete the ensemble... I'm talking moon boots folks. He must have inherited them from a relative who was an 80's fashionista, because these are the real deal.
Funnier yet, is the fact that he wears his sagging backpack on the front of his body, with the corner of a heavy text book peeking out of a tattered hole. It's as if he is about to birth an 8th grade algebra book right there in the middle of the road!
I decided to name him... Weird, I know, but he's become a normal part of my morning routine, and he is no stranger. "Maury Moonboots- nice ta meet-cha", he'd say:)
What I love most about Maury, is that on most occasions, I see him singing. Always to himself, and always loudly. Again- the carefree thing. Though it is obvious to see that his clothes don't fit, and from what I might guess, doesn't plan on getting any new ones in the near future, it doesnt seem to matter a bit. He just sings and walks and sings and walks. Wow. Perspective.
I'm not talking about the whole, "Wow- I'm so thankful for all of my STUFF, because some people don't have as much STUFF as me. Poor poorer people". I'm talking about the kind of perspective that makes you go- "Wow. God is good, and I am aware of His work in this world thanks to Maury Moonboots".
I once looked in my rear view mirror after I had passed a singing Maury and saw him slip on some ice and make a very ungraceful awkward fall into the side of a snow bank. It took him a minute to get up, but when he did, he went about his business plodding along in his gravity-defying boots. As soon as I could see that he was OK, I began laughing. I laughed all the way to work... and am still laughing even now.
1 comment:
Hi Deidra,
I am enjoying your writings! You gave me some perspective today too. We teachers get bombarded with discipline issues, outspoken parents, a lack of appreciation, etc. Sometimes it's almost overwhelming. But I guess if we can somehow not become overwhelmed by the negative, and avoid taking so much to heart, we can keep from wearing ourselves out.
I thought you might get a kick out of this. Yesterday I sent a note home with one of my 3rd grade boys. It let his folks know that he accomplished practically nothing all morning despite my many prompts. I explained that he seemed to be daydreaming. The goal of my note was to elicit some support from the homefront. What was I thinking? I received a response to my note today. It read, "Maybe if you were more interesting than his dreams he would be more interested in you." I was stunned! No support to say the least.
Yes, I was feeling a little offended. Those old familiar thoughts of "We teachers just aren't appreciated for what we do," started to creep in. And then, after school today a different parent of another student came in specifically to thank me for encouraging her daughter and helping her to have " one of the best years of her schooling."
Hmmm..... I guess it's just a roller coaster ride.
We deal with so many different individuals, and they come with so many of their own issues and burdens. I need to focus more on the positive, and let the negative roll right off my back.
I do want to say to you... Hang in there! After 22 years of teaching some things are much easier.
And... I remember the days when my two boys were very young and my husband worked nights.. I felt like I never got to just relax and "do nothing." I was always exhausted even though I wouldn't have traded one moment of my time as a mother, wife, teacher, friend.
I think it's a woman thing. We carry alot on our shoulders. It does pay off later. Like when you look at your grown and almost grown kids and realize they are great! Or, when you look back on how long you have been with the same wonderful husband, the love of your life. Then you realize it's all worth it. Exhaustion and all!
Have a wonderful evening cousin! Love, Debi
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