“Mrs. Gibson, are you a substitute for our class?”
“No, I am sorry. Not today.” Her lips turned into a pout.
“I sure wish you’d come to our class.” Another boy told me as we stood in the cafeteria of the intermediate school.
When I reached my 5th grade classroom assignment, a girl ran up to hug me. She looked up at me with a big smile, “You’re going to be our sub today!” A couple of others reached out to give me hugs.
When I walked down the hall to lunch three boys hurried to catch up to me with a big smile, “Hi Mrs. Gibson!” I recognize them from fourth grade when I’d had the opportunity to encourage them.
Then I walked to the cafeteria and my grandson John ran to hug me.A few other students waved and smiled, “Hi Mrs. Gibson!”
Tonight when I went to shop at Walmart, a high school girl smiled and waved at me from her suburban. At the middle school and high school, some students in the hall will smile and wave.
These kinds of things happen to me frequently. I will be stopped at a stoplight and look over and two kids are smiling and waving at me.
Or I’ll be walking in the grocery store and a child will whisper to their mother, “That’s my teacher!”
I don’t always recognize them because I see so many students each week but they recognize me. I always smile and wave back.
Sometimes students will write notes telling me what they appreciate about me or they will draw a work of art and give it to me.
One time at the end of a ninth grade class, we had some extra time. Three girls went up to the board and started drawing and writing messages such as “Have a good day!,”and “Love you!”
Of course this isn’t everyone but it doesn’t matter to me. The important thing to me is a few who respond like this. Some days are tough and some students are difficult to handle. Those who respond reassure me that I am impacting some students in a positive way.
We may not be on stage or well known but most of us are famous in the eyes of a few.
Our light touches them in some way and their response reflects light back to us.
This beautiful exchange brings joy and love to both hearts.
We can find signicance and make a positive difference in the world, one life at a time.