It is always wonderful and exciting to see your students walk across the stage as their names are called, receive their diplomas, and enter the next phase of their lives...
I saw Jackie make eye contact with me, she beamed... and walked over my way... I wrote about her here back in January...
She gave me a big hug, thanked me so much for everything I did for her... which was really nothing more than caring... and then she introduced me to her Mom and Dad... we all talked and then they moved on... Jackie had others to see...
As they walked away, I saw her talking to her Mom... and her Mom stopped... turned... and looked at me... and came back towards me...
"I didn't realize who I was talking to... you saved my daughter's life..." I assured her I had done nothing more than take concern that I had a young student far away from home... whose Dad was very ill and getting ready to undergo by-pass surgery...
"No... you saved her life... she told me that she was so depressed... so despondent... and felt that no one cared at all"... and then she said she got your email...
"What ever it was you said... whatever it was you did... you made a HUGE difference in my daughter's life... and I will never ever forget you for it..." She said this to me through a steady stream of tears... so there I am... a long-haired, leaping gnome... who, by damn... seemed to have gotten something in his eyes...
I have said this before... and I will say it again... I love what I do... I have the best job in the world... I hope I made a difference...
My son did finish school... but he didn't walk... and I am sad for that...
Jackie did finish school... and she did walk... and her Mom and Dad were here to see it... I am ever so happy for that..
Congratulations, BoyShoes... Congratulations, Jackie...
Good luck...
You're going to need it!
~shoes~
Congratulations to you also for shepherding another group of hopeful ardent young.
ReplyDeleteI have never experienced that and I am jealous of you! What I think is so wonderful about it is you will again begin again, and find yourself in May watching another group walk.
Do you ever get to know them as adults in an ongoing way?
You must feel so good, being able to make a difference in someone else's life, just like you did for Jackie!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Charlene.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the good shepherding, me thinks. (winks)
Congratulations ! You do have the best job. College was really hard for me to. I battled depression and had to get a medical drop. I eventually got out of that, but I wish I had instructor that cared.
ReplyDeleteI feel so bad for graduating classes right now in this economy. When I was in college from 1999-2004, the economy was booming and the world seemed to be a promising place.
I know that you prepared your students the best way you could.
You are awesome!
ReplyDeleteAwe making a difference!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you!
ReplyDeleteHi, Charlene... Thank you for your kind words... I've written about my Grandmother Brown... and know that she was a teacher... and my sister told me that she LOVED teaching... that's how I feel about it. I worked with my brothers in a family business... and then a stockbroker... but the best thing that ever happened to me was becoming a teacher... I get so much from those 'kids'...
ReplyDeleteYou are right... I lose some students each Spring... I get 'new' students each Fall...
and its interesting how the dynamics of the new group seems to change... I would love to take some classes in 'group dynamics'...
I do know some of them as adults... that may be a good post...
What really strikes home is when I get a letter... or an email from a former student, and have them tell me that I made a difference...
I hope all is well with you...
@ Spring Flower... I feel pleased because I helped someone with a problem they were experiencing... When I was in high school, we had to take a career qualifications profile... and mine said I should have been a minister...
Hmmmm...
Im not sure how well that would have flown... Can ministers wear red tennis shoes in church? I am prone to cussing... and a whole host of other things I probably shouldnt mention in conjunction with someone being a minister (scarves and blindfolds :oD )
We all need help at some point in our lives... I've had many people to help me with problems... I am just paying it forward...
@ Shelly... Yeah... good shepherding... Damn... another some kind of ministerial reference.. HA!
@ Hi there, Senorita... You know, a great deal of how I work today is based on a horrible advisor I had when I was an undergrad... he just didn't care... at all... and it really glared out at anyone and everyone... how sad...
The economy is bad right now, but there are some recession-proof industries that are doing quite well...
@ Christine... No, I just care... I am a sucker for people who are hurting... At times, I think that is a real severe weakness... that's why I say I wanna be more like Tyler Durden... but, I probably wouldn't be happy... you know?
@ Darn Girl... Thank you, dear... I try.. I really try...
~shoes~
As much as we bemoan the pitfalls of academia, there is joy in the cracks we step in sometimes. Few and far between it seems....but joy still. You have a made an impact on thousands of young people.
ReplyDeleteJust by caring.
Hi there, Mimi... Someone has to care... you... me...
ReplyDeleteSomeone has to...
*huggles*
~shoes~