So it was the last day of actual school last week. Then tests of course – I’ll give more on that another time. I just wanted to share the only gift a kid gave me.
Now, I really don't EXPECT any gifts... I mean sure, I know people who work in Massachusetts who regularly get lavish gifts from their kids' parents. And man, would that be nice. But of course, I work in New York City... so I am not expecting, well, ANYTHING.
So class is just about to end, last period of the day, and J. a cute, chubby Mexican girl, is struggling to say goodbye. She's going to another school next year and the separation anxiety is setting in. She hands me my gift. My ONLY gift from a student. A set of green, plastic Rosary Beads.
"I know green is your favorite color."
I thank her, and she asks for a hug. I hug her and tell her we will miss her.
When she leaves, at first, I look at the beads. I don't really know what to make of them. On the one hand, it was such a sweet gesture on J.'s part. But of course, I then think of the lavish gifts they're getting in Massachusetts... Then my thoughts drift to some of the nightmare year some of my other fellow Fellows have, and begin to love my green Rosary Beads more and more.
I tell my family about J. and her plastic Rosary Beads, green because it's my favorite color. They think it's cute and dismiss it… moving on to the next topic. I guess it's really more symbolic to me, and would be too much to explain to them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment