“Deficient. Never used that word in my writing before.”

“Yeah, I just used the word anathema for the first time in my blog post this morning, means something or someone that is strongly disliked.”

“Anathema, that word just sounds like it means something bad.”

We laughed, as he said the word aloud again.

We laughed. He laughed. That’s a big deal.

He doesn’t laugh. He barely, rarely smiles, and he certainly never does when schoolwork is the topic.

I want to describe him, but I can’t describe him. Oh, I have the words. That’s not problem. It’s just that the words break my heart, for I believe if you ever imagined all the things that a kid could have stacked against him, he would materialize before your eyes.

I see him every day, and my heart breaks for him every day. I do what I can to help, and he’s come to let me more as the year has passed, but yesterday, he let me in, and I stayed as long as I could, maybe longer than I should have, for I never did get to the other kids who needed my help. But, as they no doubt sat and watched and listened to his and my moment, they, too, witnessed some beauty in the human connection I shared with this young man. It was understood, I think by all, that there was nothing more important than that moment. And they, with grace, let us be.

And so, for the better part of twenty minutes, I sat with him and patiently, painstakingly–for working with writers at times requires Herculean efforts–on his essay. I wrote. He wrote. We scribbled. Backspaced. Laughed at his huge–I mean huge–fingers fumbling around on the keyboard, as he muttered, “I don’t type so good.”

At some point, feeling like he could manage the rest on his own, I left him to wrap up the quickly closing period with the rest of my kiddos. And as the bell rang and the room cleared, he was there at my desk, shifting his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other.

“Just wanna say thank you for your help. No one could do what you do. So, thanks.”

Plenty of others could and do, do what I do. But yesterday, I did what I did because I had to. I had a million other things to do, but I had to let the moment dictate, and I did. We stopped the world and melted into the moment. I may never get another moment with him quite the same, so I stayed. I lingered, finding myself fully present in a moment while the world waited.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…(with reluctance) an interim SBA practice.

…wrapping up essays.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better. (and stop the world every once in a while)