“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” John F. Kennedy

Thanksgiving!  It is not my most favorite favorite, but I love it.  Our family likes to chill out, eat, and celebrate all darn day!  I love to send texts to people near and far all throughout the day to let them know how thankful I am to have them in my life.  I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now, but today seems like the perfect day.  I have read a lot of posts grateful for teachers-from students and parents and friends.  I am a high school English teacher, and I appreciate the fact that I have so many people have lifted my profession (and myself) up and encouraged me and thanked me over the years.  I work alongside some truly gifted educators and people who humble me not only with their intellect, but with their compassion and generosity.  I hope that they know how thankful I am for them.  My family is ridiculous.  They love me and support me and encourage me. They put up with so much so that I can do crazy things and be myself.  I will NEVER be able to be thankful enough.  But, today, I want to write about some people who rarely get recognized-my former students.  I remember when I started teaching, I never fully grasped the concept that the biggest blessings and challenges of teaching is that each year you start with a brand new team, which means that each year you have to say good-bye to a group of people, many of whom you have come to love dearly.  The common conception is that you will likely never see these people ever again.  Because of social media and my small town, I have many former students I have been blessed to become friends with.  This is such a special thing.  I hope my dear former students you know how thankful I am for you.  Here are five reasons I am thankful to have you in my lives:

1. You help want to be my best: You are right now doing amazing things.  You are in service to our country, or working, or going to school, and even though you don't know it, I hope that these challenges are a little easier because you trusted me to help prepare you to face the challenges you are overcoming.  When I see you doing miraculous things, I resolve myself to do my best every single day.

2. You showed me each moment can be a memory: When I post a picture or write something, often times I get a message from you about how you remember our class.  I am always surprised because it is not often the "big moments I thought I was killing it as the most amazing educator of all time" you write about. It is often the tiny moments I struggle to remember that you reflect on.  You don't often remember the amazing feedback I gave you on your essay or the titles of the books we read, but you remember getting your point across this one time in this one Socratic circle.  You remember making a new friend.  You remember laughing with me at the oddest moments.  You remember taking a selfie in the rotunda. You remind me that each moment counts.

3. You made me more compassionate: When I first started teaching, I really believed I did not have to go "all in".  I thought I could just teach you about reading and writing-maybe laugh a little, and we would be all good.  You showed me that this gig is not a temporary thing.  You told me about your lives, you wrote about your struggles and your triumphs. You shared your heart with me and wanted to know about me in return. After you graduated, when I have posted about my struggles, many of you have sent me messages.  You check on me.  You wish me happy birthday.  You take time to be a good person, and you make me realize no matter how much I have to do, there is time for connection.

4. You aren't too cool to hug an old lady: As a teacher, I don't really expect for anyone to remember me.  But, when I ran into you at that football game or at the mall or at Starbucks, you ran up to me and hugged me. I was giddy.  I was there with my friends or my family, and here comes this "got-it-all-together" young adult who I remember as a slightly less together teenager, who is willing to come up to me and give me a hug and catch up for a minute.  I am so thankful that you would take your time to say hi.  You will never know what that means to me.

5. Your success honors our work: When I see you post on social media about passing a test in college, or getting a promotion, or getting married, or loving your children, or simply being happy, I feel so much pride.  I listen to the music you create, I read your blogs, I look at your photographs of your families and your friends and your travels and I celebrate your success.  Your transition into adult contributor of society makes me humbled and so freaking proud.  


Dear former students, I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving and holiday season. Thank you from the bottom of my heart from just a little old lady English teacher.  I wish you many many blessings.

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