Today, I am thankful that I have been fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time.
Tonight, I went to the football game. It was the last game and I wanted to see my kids play/perform. Plus, I needed to keep an eye on Mr. V. He likes to push his limits - always has, always will - in spite of the fact that he just had back surgery a week ago.
During half-time, toward the very end, a student comes running up to me to let me know that a classmate is really upset but she has been told to go away. My students are my babies so I ran up the steps, through the stands, down the steps, and, upon seeing the kiddo in question, called out to her. When she turned, she didn't look like herself at all. Part of it was the braids she had in her hair for the football game but the other part of it was something wild. I gave her a big hug, because she had been crying and sometimes, you just need a hug. I reassured her that she's a junior and she'll perform again. That's when she told me that her bus had been slow and she had to take another one. That one took her to the school. But we weren't at the school. We were at the football stadium five-to-seven minutes away by car. She had walked all the way. I'm sorry, did I say walked? I meant run. She ran from the school to the stadium. It took her 45 minutes to an hour to get to us. And she had forgotten her coat.
And she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast. Thankfully, the drill team sponsor came up and found us and offered to buy her food. She refused it, feeling a little ill. Everything so far worked out but I am so thankful that I could be there to give her the comforting hug that she needed at that moment. She clung on tight enough that I knew she has meant it these weeks I've known her when she has said that I'm like a parent to her.
I cannot tell you how often a kid at my school needs a parent to be there for them but doesn't have one who fits their needs (at that moment or at all). Being a teen is incredibly rough and some of my students have it hard. It is amazing the number of broken hearts God has sent my way this year. I am so thankful that he has chosen me to be His instrument, mending, comforting, encouraging. And I'm thankful that He gave me favor with the football people tonight because I'd otherwise have run off to Starbucks to do a bit of grading and I'd have missed out on being there for Miss T.
Keep on finding reasons to be thankful! It's only November 4th - we have miles to go before we sleep.
Mrs. V
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