Parting Ways

I watched recently as my eldest went through the whole realization that she is growing up. The trigger for that insight came to her I believe, through the knowledge that she would be leaving a teacher that she had come to really highly regard behind. This teacher was phenomenal, truly inspired, the kind of educator that we all wish would nurture our children’s psyches. For days my daughter would come to me and express her worry about leaving her teacher behind. Then we would discuss the fact that moving on in school means that she was growing up and although her teacher would always hold a special place in her heart she worked hard to move on and so she should.

When I went to pick her up at school, there was the teacher with her class huddled around her interlocking embraces moving around the little cluster via a wave of obvious emotion uniting the little group one last time. The teacher’s eyes were blotchy with tears and the children were also overcome. They were exchanging telephone numbers like big people and promising to keep in touch every day. The teacher through her tears told me, “we’ve been crying all morning” and I could see it.

But with all this sadness I was happy for my child. Happy that she had gotten the opportunity to glean at the feet of inspiration and through that experience had gained a love for learning that is irreplaceable. Now I want to encourage her new found appreciation of knowledge and hopefully see it grow and evolve as she does. I remember speaking with a librarian recently, who was wondering aloud who her children would get as teachers next school year. She said “I wonder who I am going to get next year?” At first I thought she misspoke but now in retrospect I realize that is exactly what she meant as essentially you get who your kids get…the symbiotic relationship is inextricable.

Well now our summer begins and to you Mrs. V., the beginning was bumpy but your way was golden. Thank you for everything. I hope my youngest will also be prepped by you and that on our way to a well rounded education we meet upon more dedicated educators as yourself. Your pupil has blossomed in your care. What more can I say except...Selah.