Day 6: Connecting in the Smokies October 25, 2012

I teach ESL this year and I have 5 students--2 girls, 3 boys. All of them are from Korea so they have a deep sense of respect (well, for the most part. One of them is rather Americanized...) But anyway, one of the boys--whose name is Ricky--is one of those kids that just touches my heart...every. single. day.  I'm not sure what it is about this kid but he gets to me--in a good way. He is so sweet. He smiles with complete sincerity. He is genuine and tries hard and he's quirky and wears skinny jeans of all sorts of colors. I work with these kids with their writing skills and their reading skills.  For reading, we read these passages and then answer critical thinking questions that are rather complicated. In the beginning, all of the students failed these quizzes. But now they are getting much better. In fact, this last time, four of my students only missed two out of nine questions. But not Ricky. He actually only got three right. But in typical Ricky-fashion, he just grinned, congratulated everybody around him, and shook his head at himself.

I could just squeeze him.

And I saw Ricky again today. I only teach ESL twice a week. But anyway, today the girls are gone and so I only had the three boys in class. And there was Ricky--all smiles and telling me how happy he was to see me, to be in class as it breaks the boredom of his long afternoon. And, as always, it gave me joy. Because Ricky is just one of those kids that is different--in a good way. But most of all, he makes me remember why I love teaching.

Another moment of joy happened this morning. Even though I only live a few blocks from the elementary school (which is also on our campus), I drive Jace to school. It's sheer laziness but...I'm on year three so I'm over feeling guilty about it. :)  So anyway, as Jace and I were making the short drive to school, he was recounting a story of how I reacted to something he said or did (I can't remember exactly what it was), and he screamed this shrill, woman-like scream in a fake high squeal: AAAHHHHH!!!! So I said, "So that's how I reacted? That's what I did?" He shook his head in dismay, pierced his lips together, and then said, "Oh Mom. You have no idea the things I put up with." And then he gave me that ornery little grin, threw a "Love you, Mom" my direction, and closed the door as he headed off to school.

I laughed the whole way home.

I had many good moments throughout my day actually. Several times I tried to stop, take a deep breath, and find that 'center.' But the one that stands out the most happened this evening. Every Thursday a small group of women meet at a friend's house to discuss a book entitled 'Unglued.' It's such fun and I always look forward to it. But this week the woman who hosts the group is sick so she asked if I would open my home. So there we were, in the living room, discussing how or why we come 'unglued' and sharing those common experiences we all have--no matter who we are or where we come from. And I couldn't help but just stop for a moment, look around at these women whom I call my friends, and recognize how truly blessed I am. Because of all the places in the world that I could be...I am here, in this little suburb nestled in the Smoky Mountains, in a place that I call home, surrounded by women who allow me to be real for just an hour each week.

And that is absolutely something to be joyful about.