Sweet sorrow

I told my students that I will not be coming back in the fall. As excited as I am about future opportunities, my heart ached all weekend remembering the sad faces. I've been teaching in my school for sixteen years. Without knowing it, I somehow became an institution...

After a few days, the kids are starting to cheer up. We were having a quiet moment today, and one young man [D] asked, "Mrs. K., how are we going to do this without you?"

Me: "I'm sure that you can."

D: (quietly)"But what if we can't?"

[Every now and then, my guardian angel speaks for me]

Me: "D., has anyone ever dropped out of our class?"

D: "Well, yeah."

Me: "Wasn't I here, doing the same thing we've always done?"

D: "Well, yeah!"

Me: "Did they make it?"

D: "No."

Me: [quietly] "Then, it wasn't just because of me, was it?"

[Sound of thinking]

D: "No."

And the teacher teaches one last lesson...