Flashback Friday
I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to reflect on for today. It has been another busy day. I went into our new building today to help set up for an event that’s going on tomorrow. While I was there, another employee that works where I now work came in. We were on the same Zoom call/meeting last night so we knew about each other. Today, we reunited in person.
My new supervisor keeps saying that I have all the connections. Before this person walked in, someone else who works there approached me and said I looked familiar. I told her my name and come to find out, I taught her kids many years ago. I had actually literally almost run into her a couple years ago when her sorority was hosting a Juneteenth 5k. She was a cheerleader on the sidelines as I ran by. We had a quick reunion when she recognized me then. Now, apparently, we’re going to be sharing this new building too. This was after my supervisor and the other new person and I were talking about good restaurants in the area the other day. The other new team member was raving about an African restaurant downtown. I told him I know the owners very well. Because I taught both of their kids for many years too.
Back to the person who walked in today. It was yet another parent of two kids I had taught over the years. In fact, her youngest child was in the 8th grade during the last year that I was a teacher. I was a principal after that year. She was my last 8th grader that I sent off to high school. Her mother shared with me that the girl was just talking about me the other day. Turns out, she had just taken her ACT. She’s in her junior year of high school now. After she finished the test, she told her mom that she was very grateful for me and what she learned in my English classes because apparently that information came in handy on the test. I told her mom that even though I’m not teaching anymore, it warms my heart to hear that. And it does, it really does. It makes me reminisce fondly about my years as a teacher. I did truly enjoy it. The being in the classroom and actively working with the students. Not all the extras and time spent working at home. Funnily enough, I told her that it was her son who is the reason one of my cats has a Facebook page. I had gotten Nugget when he was in the 6th grade and because I was always telling them crazy stories about my kitten, he said she should have her own Facebook page. And she does! I don’t update it very often, but, it’s there!
This picture is my school picture from that last year of teaching:
It was her daughter’s class that is the reason for me not wearing glasses in this picture. One day in class, I randomly took my glasses off for a few moments and the students were vocal about how traumatizing it was to see me without my glasses. So what did I do? Trolled them by taking my glasses off for the picture knowing that it would be enshrined forever in their 8th grade yearbook. Maybe that’s when my pettiness started…
I’ve said before that I really don’t like living in a city where I know people. Sometimes I really hate running into people I know. I’ve also said that if anything ever happens to Josh, I’m going to move to a random city that I’ve never been, far away from here. I envision somewhere in the middle of the country. Sort of like a “middle of nowhere” kind of place. But then again, if I did that, I would miss out on moments like today. Where a random parent of a student I had at some point in the past comes up to me to tell me that I had some sort of positive effect on their child that stuck with them long after they left my class. You can’t put a value on that. And I’ll never get tired of hearing it. Also, to anyone reading this who is also a teacher. Particularly at this time of year when it’s getting closer to summer break and the kids are well aware that the countdown is on…just know, what you do matters. It’s not always easy to see it in the present, but you’ll see it in the future. Trust the process and keep up the good work! It’s worth it.
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