This year, I feel differently than last year, of course, but from the year before as well. This year, I feel Blessed. Yes, I'm excited. Yes, I'm nervous. Yes, I'm anxious. But above all of these, I feel blessed.
Last year on the day before school started, I didn't have a job. That entire week - that for most, was the first week back at school - was probably the worst of all the weeks I went through when I was unemployed. All of my students the previous year, and the year before, and all my former co-workers were back at school, and I was... on the couch. My roommates at the time were both teachers too, so they were back at school too. It worked out in the end, but I made it to a fantastic place. It just took me a while to get there.
Tomorrow morning, I'll be standing at my door ready to greet a whole set of new faces. And in four years of teaching, it's the first time I'll be standing at the same door I walked students out of on the last day of school. And sure, I didn't start the year there last year, so some things are still new, but there's so much that's the same.
"People want to believe that their life matters. It doesn't matter how old they are. Everyone wants to belong."
My pastor said those words in church this morning, and they couldn't ring more true. I feel that on a regular basis. As an adult, I can recognize that. But as an teacher, I can fix that.
Tomorrow morning begins a whole new chapter in my life, and in the lives' of every student on my roster, and every other teacher's roster, right now. And sure, I'm still terrified I'm going to send a student home the wrong way, as well as a million other things. but at the same time, anything can happen. This day, is just the beginning. We're about to travel on a road to the future, and we're going to do it together. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Year 4, here we go!
No comments:
Post a Comment