Dear Student...

Dear Student,

In the Fall, before you knew me and before I met you, I thought I knew everything.

Well, maybe not everything, but a lot.

And I thought that a lot of what I knew was very, very important and that you would see my wisdom and be very, very grateful.

*Snort-laughs*

Turns out, I was wrong, thinking I had it all right.

And now, as summer draws closer, I want you to know a little of the whole bunch of stuff that I never knew - until you taught me:

I am, as you now know, not a patient person. I am sort of loud, a lot bossy and prone to talking too much.

But you showed me to be quiet, so that you could think before you spoke.

You needed me to wait, without fidgeting, while you mentally chose the best  - or the least number of - words to explain what you needed. And it was hard and I didn't always get it right, but when I did, it was always worth the wait.

You taught me that there is room and cause for bossy, but that  sometimes, kids just need to let loose and do some dancing, shake their sillies out, run amok in an empty gym simply because it's there and it's empty...and that's OK, too.

In sharing tidbits of your life outside of school, you taught me to listen hard for everything you weren't saying but softly enough that I didn't miss the importance of what you did.

You made me a better mother. You gave me reasons to gather my own children into my arms at day's end and weep into their hair, thanking God for them and their good...and thanking Him for you and yours.

Thank you for your trust and your ears and eyes and your defiance and your determination.

Thank you for letting me colour in your lines, for forgiving me my dismal math knowledge and pathetic basketball skills.

For laughing at my jokes, my dancing and stuff that's sort of gross, actually, but I like watching you laugh, so we're good. (Except for showing me loose teeth. That's just plain mean.)

Thank for taking my hand, accepting my word, appreciating my efforts, giving me the best of yours and for encouraging me to bring my best to the table, every. single. day.

 Without you, I wouldn't know all of this stuff and it's very, very important.

I am very, very grateful.


Love,
Mrs. McLennan