A Piece is Missing

My mom e-mailed me today and told me that one of my former students returned a book from my classroom library that he had found to her. This particular student was one of the highlights of my life last year when I was having a very difficult few months. One day I was teaching a lesson on fears, things that we are afraid of that can get in our way, our own personal monsters, if you will. I shared an example in my own life and then had the students think of one, and draw a picture of what it was, and then list ways they could overcome that fear. This student of mine that I absolutely adored shared a very similar fear of mine, but his way of overcoming it was to sing to himself the Bob Marley song, "Don't worry, be happy, it's all going to be all right." I remembered starting to cry when I saw it. I asked him if I could keep it, and I took it home and posted it on my fridge as a daily reminder that it was all going to work out. My students were my saving grace. And I realized tonight, that even though I very much have enjoyed my time out here, and have grown so much, a part of me is missing, I haven't been complete here. And it's because I miss my students. I miss my daily interactions with them, the pure joy they brought to my soul. They brought out the best parts of me, they loved me unconditionally, they were so forgiving, and I learned so much from them. Teaching is so much a part of me, it's hard not to have that here. I have very much appreciated the time away, and I LOVE the job I have right now. But a piece of me isn't here, it's back at classroom 23 at McKinley Elementary. My mom also told me about how one of her students that she works with had lost their hearing aid on the playground, so she had the school secretary do an all call to all the students to help search for it. She said it touched her heart how all the kids in the whole school were searching for it. That brought tears to my eyes, literally. Because I know the goodness children have. And I miss my interactions with them. I miss feeling so much love and hope that they brought to my life. I guess I miss the person I was when I was with them, and hope to someday return to that person inside of me.