Can’t explain it. But I’ll try. Yesterday, I felt a moment. It was palpable, nearly touchable. I didn’t experience it. I felt it.

I’m not sure if it started with Ryan, the mechanical wizard who otherwisehates school, sharing–as he does now daily–that his smile was being in my class.

Maybe it was my wonder at Brennan’s business brilliance as he shared his work during our “Sittin’ with Sy” session. He talked beyond the three-allotted minutes. Usually I cannot get him to elaborate on anything. And yesterday, I found myself in a “who-is-this-kid?” moment. I am still stunned by the confidence and enthusiasm he exuded.

Or possibly it was Dominique’s dive into sharing her native culture with her classmates as they sat and stared in wonder as she explained pow-wows to them and her role as a dancer. Dom is short, but yesterday, she was 10 feet tall.

And, of course, there was Leonie our foreign exchange student from Germany who was getting me to say–well, to try–the most difficult German words for foreigners to pronounce, recording me with her phone, so she could share it with her parents, whom she misses terribly. We laughed and laughed.

Maybe it was the other Ryan, the awkward kiddo who was badly bullied earlier in the year (see “Broken” http://www.letschangeeducation.com/project-180-day-71/), who excitedly shared his draft with me, taking careful measure of my feedback as we talked about his next better.

Or maybe it was the quiet moment after, as I paused from chasing my tail all period, and I looked out on my kids and felt. I just felt. It was there. They were there. I was there. We were there. I’ll never forget it. I tried to explain it to my kids, and I wasn’t sure I was succeeding until one of them said, simply, “We know Sy.”

Man, I could get hooked on that feeling.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…the joy of personal reading.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…discussing Why with Sy.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Have a great weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.