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A Day Turned Wonderful

A Day Turned Wonderful

Friday was a wonderful day, though on the surface it looked a bit dicey. The weather was cold, windy and gray as I hauled bags and boxes full of party supplies, along with an eight-year-old time capsule to my car. Shortly after noon I pulled up to the service entrance of Bryant School, where I taught for many years. A thunderstorm was in full progress and the rain came down in sheets. Opening doors and hauling in supplies was a bit tricky with an umbrella in hand, but I managed.

A few minutes later, I was in one of the school’s empty classrooms, getting ready for a party. Everything was in place when the guests of honor, my former fourth grade students who are graduating this year and their parents, arrived. The seniors entered, self-conscious, trying to be cool. But as they looked a the memorabilia laid out on the tables – their elementary yearbook, the class scrapbook, photographs, and notes they’d written and old projects they asked me to save – the cool vanished. When they realized the video playing on the TV was of them in fourth, they began to laugh.

That’s when the day turned wonderful. The sense of camaraderie and innocence they’d shared when they were nine and ten descended upon them again. The oneness that had developed during nine months of learning together settled upon them like a blessing. The room filled with delight. When the program began, and each student came forward to reclaim their time capsule treasure and tell us their plans for the future, the blessing continued.

I have high hopes for these former students. I hope they all use the remarkable talents they’ve been given for good. I hope they have happy and meaningful lives. And I hope the memory of our year together and the time spent celebrating on a cold, rainy afternoon takes root inside them and continues to bless them.

I hope one day, they will recognize the blessing and pass it on.