The Gift of Gratitude in a Simple Thank You

This morning while clearing out my gmail inbox, I almost dumped (without reading) a message that contained a story I'd like to share with all who pass this way. In addition, I've decided to impart two personal experiences of my own ... triggered by this video.

The 1st occurred on the last day of my 1st year of teaching 6th grade in a middle school setting. Being the "newbie" on staff and taking two classes created at the last minute when enrollment numbers were higher than expected, I ended up with an odder than usual mix of students. My morning "core" class contained 5 fun-loving marginally motivated boys who although likable enough, drove the rest of the students crazy when having to sit near or work in a cooperative group with any of them. The afternoon class contained 33 students, just 5 of whom were girls. Needless to say, I found the year challenging ... even though I'd been teaching for decades.

On that final school day with my students engaged in saying their good-byes and signing autographs in yearbooks, when the office buzzed the classroom and told me a parent was on his way down to talk with me, I reminded myself that I'd have 10 weeks of summer vacation in just a few hours as I steeled myself for one more thing. A man entered the room before I could get from the intercom to the doorway and announced in a loud voice (no doubt embarrassing the heck out of his son) that he was there to "shake the hand of the teacher who turned his boy's life around" ... and as I extended my own hand, I murmured a prayer of gratitude that this wasn't another problem to be dealt with after all.

Interestingly, the boy in question was one of my best students that year and because of this I'd had no reason to read his cum files. Therefore I had no idea he'd barely passed the elementary grades and had previous problems at school. I don't know why B turned things around for himself in 6th grade. He wasn't one of the 5 boys mentioned previously. Perhaps he realized he didn't want to be like them? Whatever the cause, apparently he had entertained his parents throughout the year with stories about me and his classmates and done his homework willingly on his own. They were delighted but didn't choose to jinx anything until the year ended. I took this gift gladly and enjoyed my vacation thoroughly hoping for more "balanced classes" in the Fall.

The 2nd happened in June of 2001 as I diligently worked before and after school sessions packing up and giving away 34 years worth of accumulated teaching materials to colleagues. The office secretary buzzed my classroom to tell me there was someone on the phone who wished to speak to me urgently. Not recognizing the name, I requested she take a message and assure the caller I would get back to her as soon as possible. Apparently this caller would not be put off, so I stopped mid-task, took the 3 minute walk to the office wondering what could be so important, and picked up the phone.

After assuring this woman I was indeed the person who taught for several years at another school in the district at the specified grade level in the time frame given, she exclaimed that she couldn't believe I was retiring. When she read about it in the paper she felt she had to call and told me it hadn't been easy to track me down. I learned from her that the office personnel at other schools don't give out information when teachers transfer to new settings. Having left elementary grades for an assignment in middle school several years prior to my decision to retire, I could understand the challenge finding me must have presented.

Still wondering the reason for the call while thinking about the monumental task in which I was engaged, I tried to be patient. Eventually she identified herself as the mother of a previous student whose life she believed had been completely turned around by his experiences in my 5th grade class decades ago. As she spoke, I recalled the boy ... along with the personal challenges I faced that year coping with the unexpected death of my mom and the dissolution of my 21 year marriage. It was perhaps my most challenging year of teaching ever, and yet listening to this mother share the changes she noticed that year in her son who went from doing the minimum required to "get by" (while having fun with the "class clowns" who were his friends and idols up until that year) to taking a serious interest in learning for it's own sake ... I was touched to my core.

She went on to tell me what he'd done during the remainder of his years in school, how he'd gone on to college, and was now working in the Silicon Valley as a computer programmer ... doing very well for himself. I learned that they spoke of me and that year often with pleasure and gratitude. As I listened and thought to myself how that seemed like anything but my best year of teaching due to personal "distractions" of my life, I realized the truth of something my sister had often said to me but that I couldn't quite understand or appreciate until that moment. Whenever I would give voice to my classroom concerns, my sister would respond by saying emphatically, "On your worst day, you do more for kids than many people do on their best!" Of course, my sister loves me so it's been easy to discount her point of view. Hearing from others however DOES resonate and warms my heart remembering even now.

So ... in preparing this post, I'm reminded of how many times in my busy-ness, something from within says "slow down" and when I do, a most "perfect gift" appears ... one I might have "missed" if I had rushed on with whatever task held my attention, and gently I ask here ...

What might you be missing in your rush today?

(and if you haven't yet watched the video
I encourage you to do so now)