Appreciation

This is not the humble-brag post. This is the if-I-don't-write-it-down-I'll-never-believe-it post. Friday was the kind of day you make movies about. Friday was the day that put life back into perspective for me, that--for the first time too long--said, you are now at this moment all that you need to be. 

Friday.

The last day of Teacher Appreciation Week--a week I hardly remember from school, although there were many teachers whom I certainly appreciated--and one of my seniors asked me not to teach. She walked into the room, reminded me that I was "not allowed to do a lesson today," told me to sit, and addressed the class. "Good morning, I am the teacher today...and our Do Now is to write a poem about why we love Ms. B." 

As a teacher who has begun so many of her lesson with prompts for poems and brainstorms, my heart stopped. This was not what I had expected. Passing out the snacks that they brought, to celebrate our class, one student groaned, "Can't we just tell her?" 

And they did.

For the next 40 minutes, came a room-full of kind thoughts. Kind thoughts about me. About how appreciative they were--about how loved they felt. About moments we had shared. Things they had learned, reasons they wanted to come to class. It was like that scene in To Sir With Love; a movie I watched as a kid, with my mom. A movie that made me want to become a teacher. 

I am overwhelmed by their display and more thankful for them than I can even begin to say. What a day to remind me what I'm doing on this planet and why I have to do it. 

If only they knew how much I appreciate them, right back.