Teaching is an exercise in learning how to love.
How to love so deeply, and unconditionally, with such devotion, that nothing stands in the way.
Jenna, my roommate, asked me tonight if I ever considered quitting.
No.
Truth: I've struggled these last couple weeks. I am not sure that I've had even one day that would qualify as 'good.' I generally leave school feeling defeated, hopeless, tired, and a bit ornery. I've cried. A lot.
But, I will N.E.V.E.R. quit.
Because I love them.
And, I love who I am to them. I love being a teacher, their teacher.
Even amidst the "ughhhh," "ohmygosh!" and "I'm so tired of this teacher"s. I freaking love their guts. I do.
I love them for the 20 minutes they sat silently, drawing in their packets, and listening to me read Bridge to Terabithia. I love them for their moments of kindness, joy, and passion. I love them for those moments, one-on-one, when we get to the root of the problem. I love them for the good days, and the bad. I love them for who they are. I love them for the downright hilarious things they say. I love them for their toughness and resilience, and I love when that shell begins to break. I love them for their crazy socks, their Takis obsession, the pencil tapping, the paper folding. I love them for their rap writing, football playing, cheer leading, book reading, awesome, intelligent selves.
I am making a promise to you. and to me. right now. That my actions tomorrow and forever as a teacher will reflect this love. I need them to know how much I care. I need them to love themselves and each other the as much as I love them. I need to be an example to them of what love looks like.
Because I am their teacher.
So....as you have probably noticed I've been stalking you between gmail, facebook, and now I've found your blog again (apparently the web address is different here in Italy.... .com doesn't work). Anywho, I miss you. I've been reading your blog and it kills me that I have missed all of this part of your life. And I feel like I've let you down. But I wanted to tell you again how I will always think you are the best and most amazing person! And I hope the weeks after this post were a little bit easier.
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