“Smile. My boys are here.”

Mike doesn’t enjoy the game of school. I suspect he could play it well if he wanted to, but he doesn’t want to. He understands the game, I think; he just finds little interest in it, so he doesn’t play. Oh, he’s affable enough; in fact, I rather enjoy his gentle spirit and whimsical wit, both suggesting that if he more readily allowed it, one would discover just how amazing this iceberg of a young man is, as he tends to hide in the open, leaving much below the surface. But of late he’s come to hide less. And his presence is bringing out some of the other “hiders” around him, “his “boys,” as he calls them.

They sit in the northwest corner of the room, all quiet inhabitants of their space, all of whom are as likely to pass as they are to share, except Mike, whose smile or frown is always based on the presence or absence of his boys. Yesterday, as it came around to A.C., we suspected something was up when he said, “Smile. My boys are here,” and Mike (sitting to his right) cracked a smile, and then, he himself, of course shared,–twirling his hand around as he does–that his boys were there.

Next, Caleb, the quietest and least likely to share of the foursome, drew some anticipation as we wondered if he would follow the lead. “Smile. My boys are here,” he offered to Mike’s growing delight, his smile threatening to crack his face, as all eyes turned next to Jackson, who joined the chorus of the quartet, sending us into a roar of applause, as we reveled in the moment. Even Tyler (next but not part of the quartet). who nearly always passes, barely muttering “pass” each day, smiled in word and deed, as he, too, was caught up in the moment. The moment lived on.

Of course, it may either be coincidence or the approaching deadline for their essays, but the boys played school for a bit yesterday, all of them more productive than normal. And whether it was merely coincidental or simply some afterglow from the moment, the lights were on yesterday in the northwest corner of the room. The boys were there. Smile, indeed.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…honoring community with “Share Some Care” (formerly, Choose a Champ).

…integrating text evidence.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.