Let's Give Thanks: Making A Difference

One of the greatest joys of my job is getting to make a difference in the lives of America's future generation. I am told this constantly by people who have no idea what exactly goes on inside a classroom in the 21st century.

Most days I don't see a difference. Most days, the only thing I see is me attempting not to pull my hair out or raise my voice at a room full of fifteen year olds who don't know the difference between a continent, a country, a county, or a city. Most of them barely know Columbia is the capital of South Carolina.

But every so often, once in a blue moon, you get to live the moment. You get to see when you truly impact the life of a child. These moments are almost a thing of myth and legend, along the same lines as finding a great pair of Jimmy Choo's at a second hand store or being in exactly the right place when the man of your dreams accidently runs into you on the street corner. You have heard these events take place, but you yourself have never really laid eyes on them youself. . . until you do.
Today I witnessed the miracle. I witnessed first hand my influence rubbing off on a child in a way that inspires me to get up before the sun barely peeks above the horizon in the morning and endure a day of reminding practically grown people to tuck their shirts in and keep their hands off each other.

It was truly a great moment, one I will never forget.

So what was this moment I bet you are all wondering.

Did the cute girl, who I adore but whose lack of withitness concerns me when I go home at night, finally get that France is not a continent and that Paris is indeed its capital not a completely different country?

Maybe the boy in the back with the crazy braids and the shirt longer that aforementioned cute girl's skirt grasp that Britain and England are interchangeable in some ways and that we fought them for our independence in 1776 not 1962.

Heck, maybe even the kid who is so smart that it scares me but cannot exert the effort to separate his head from his desk long enough to write a single note finally realized that he has within him the ability to go on beyond this small town and make a difference in the world.
Nope, my accomplishment was greater than all of these. . . .

After weeks of pounding information into their young minds one young lady looks at me fourth block and says, "Ms. Graham, I think I am going to go home and download Please Don't Go Girl as a ringtone on my phone, because Joey Joe is hot."

Can I get an Amen from the congregation?

There is hope after all

God Bless America.