Somedays I wonder if it is even worth it, then something happens and I am renewed for a day or two more. Yesterday during lunch a girl who graduated two years ago stopped by to see me. She was a girl I had as a freshman, sophomore and then again as a senior. My goal with her was to get her to smile. It was definitely an uphill battle and by the time she was a senior I had about given up. Her brother is a drug dealer, her mother a co-dependent woman with substance abuse issues. She is very bright, tough, cynical (imagine that) and distant. By the time she was a senior in my computer art classes she had started to open up and talk to me a little bit. And, yes, occasionally I actually got a grin and the even a rare smile. When she graduated I made sure to see her after the ceremony and asked if I could give her a hug, fully expecting a "no" in response. She agreed and I realized when I hugged her thin little frame that she desperately needed to be acknowledged. I told her to be sure to come back and see me. I tell a lot of the students that and most of the time I don't see them. Life gets busy.
Anyway, she came back last year and told me about her three jobs she was holding down and going to school and about a new job opportunity. So, yesterday when she came, she told me a little about that opportunity. Because she is such an amazingly hard worker one of her bosses referred her for a job with MGM as a talent scout. She traveled for 6 months all over Europe: Greece, Italy, France, Romania, Russia etc. She went to remote villages and saw things I can only imagine. Her favorite area was in Romania (see pic above). It was thrilling to hear what she has done and what plans she has for her life. She told me that the only reason she stayed in high school was for her art classes, and though she doesn't get to do much in the line of art anymore, she appreciates what she had while at school. She has paid off her mother's home, and currently has $400,000.00 in the bank. Her goal is to have enough money by the time she is 26 to not have to work another day in her life unless she wants too. At the rate she is going, I think she'll make it. I hugged her when she left and told her to come back and show me photos. I don't delude myself that I am the one who made "all the difference" but I do know I made "some" difference for her, if for no other reason than I cared about her.
Well, that wasn't meant as a pat yourself on the back, ain't I grand thing. Just a "that made my day".
7 comments:
That's great Karen! I'm so glad there are people like you out there that show others you care instead of ignoring the fact that someone in front of you has problems. It's really makes a difference.
Don't underestimate the effect you have people...not just the obviously troubles ones. You have already had a great impact on my life and we have only known each other like 5 years. Teachers really can make a difference. What a great story...now if only I could have that much money in the bank. I guess I would have to stop being lazy first huh....or I could try sleeping under my desk......
WOW!Did she go to college, or just stumble on the MGM thing? Amazing.
I feel certain you had a great impact on her. Why else would she come back? She knows you give a rats, and that has been rare in her life.
I don't have many who come back either, but I know how great it feels to think you actually made a difference amidst all the stress and apathy of teaching.
You rock!
Thanks for your kind words... it really was great to see her making her way despite having to overcome such tremendous odds against her.
I told her she could come and be my daughter if she was gonna be paying off houses and stuff! :0)
She just SMILED.
If you hadn't been important in her life I can't imagine why else she would have come back!! Way to go girl! That is so cool. Even if the story only would have been half as amazing it still would have been good. You just never know do you. I'm with C though, how did she manage to get the MGM job? That has to be a pretty interesting and cool story all by itself.
Just wanted to say I really like your new background and heading.
That is a neat story. It almost made me cry reading it, and it's not the first time I've heard it.
What a lucky guy I am to have had such a wonderful human being be my primary caregiver. You are a special lady and I can say from personal experience that your wonderful and caring personality has a significant impact on other people, whether you realize it or not.
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