I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK IN THE CHILD STUDY CENTER AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. NOT ONLY WAS I TEACHER TO 3–5-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, BUT I WAS ALSO A TUTOR FOR ADULTS TAKING THEIR TRAINING TO BE TEACHERS.
THROUGHOUT MY TWENTY PLUS YEARS ON THE JOB, I CARRIED A PENCIL AND CLIPBOARD AROUND WITH ME TO JOT DOWN THE FUNNY, THE THOUGHT PROVOKING, AND THE "I HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THE BOOK" COMMENTS THE CHILDREN MADE.
AT THE END OF EACH DAY I DROPPED THOSE NOTES IN A BIG BOX.
THIS BOX HAS GROWN FULL. BITS OF PAPERS COVERED WITH SCRIBBLED SHORTHAND HAVE LIVED INSIDE FOR TOO LONG NOW, WAITING FOR ME TO RETIRE AND DO 'SOMETHING' WITH THEM. I HAVE BEEN RETIRED A WHILE NOW.
I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED MY CAREER AND CAN'T IMAGINE THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD SUCH CONTENTMENT IN ANY OTHER OCCUPATION. THE STUDENTS, BOTH CHILD AND ADULT, WHO PASSED THROUGH MY CLASSROOM DOOR WILL FOREVER HAVE A PIECE OF MY HEART. I AM LEFT WITH WONDERFUL MEMORIES...AND A BOX OF NOTES.
TONIGHT, I PULLED THAT BOX, HEAPED WITH SCRAPS OF PAPER, OUT OF THE CLOSET. WRITTEN ON THESE NOTES ARE THINGS THE CHILDREN SAID TO ME, TO OTHER TEACHERS, TO FAMILY MEMBERS OR TO EACH OTHER. IT IS A BOX FULL OF JOY AND INSIGHT; A GLIMPSE OF THE WORLD AS ONE SEES IT BEFORE THE AGE OF SIX. IF YOU KEEP READING, I WILL SHARE THE JOY WITH YOU. TOGETHER WE WILL EMPTY 'TWENTY YEARS OF LAUGHTER' OUT OF THE BOX.
