Graduation!

How can this year be over already, and what took it so long? Yep, that's how I feel. The year seems to have flown and yet... there were times I wasn't sure I'd make it through the week, let alone the year. At the end of it all, this class selected me as their most influential teacher, said nice things, and gave me pretty flowers. The senior who spoke was well-chosen. G has had a rough time with her family: alcoholism, abuse, multiple divorces. We spent hours talking through many issues. She made it, did very well, and will attend a great four-year university in the fall. Some of the other students counted on my help when dealing with other teachers. One came and confessed a very serious disorder because she was in trouble, needed help, and knew I would contact her parents and convince them to get her into counseling. Counseling led to a critical decision to commit her to an institution that will give her skills to live a new life; at least she'll have a life! It was touch-and-go there for a while. Teaching is about life adjustments, not just growing the brain, but altering a student's perspective on life and learning. I tend to preach as I teach but it works. Through it all, I told these students the same thing I told my first class in 1973... You will change the world; make it better!

Here are two of my best writers: Savannah and Kay.

Summertime!

Officially summer doesn't arrive until the end of next week, but school is out, tonight's graduation. I think this will be one of those summers that flies by at the speed of light. Next week is all the time I have to get ready for a very special trip: to France! In celebration of our 40th wedding anniversary, ours sons bought us plane tickets to France where we will spend two lovely weeks with our younger son and his family. Whenever people talk of going some place, the dialogue seems to turn to things to see and do. It's very different for me; I just want to be, to read to grandchildren, to sit still, take in their presence, breathe the same air, watch emotions expressed on small faces, laugh at silly stuff. I know there are historical sites, educational and cultural opportunities... I don't care. There are three smallish people, living in a French country home with their parents, who mean the world to me. I just want to be... with them.