Finding the Light

Finding the Light

Darkness descends upon our classrooms every time we see a hungry child, a struggling child,  a child without family support and especially when we see a child experiencing loss.  A school can be a dark and dreary place filled with hopelessness.


Teachers must be born with an extra dose of seeing the light when so many others just see obstacles, darkness and hopelessness.  Many children wearing baggy clothes and tattered shoes go unnoticed.  A teacher sees that hungry child with an aching heart and smiles.


A smile shields the teacher’s breaking heart. The teacher’s heart pumps a little faster and a caring teacher fights back tears because no child should struggle.  Every child is a gift and their hearts should be free of pain.


Fortunately, a greater hand than us touches our school.  The greater hand guides children through the darkness to find the teachers along their path.  The teacher smiles and places a hand on the shoulder of a young soul. 


The smile hides the tears welling behind their teachers eyes.  The soft touch connects the teacher’s caring heart with the heart of a hurting struggling child.  A bond is formed and a spark of light can be seen in the darkness.


Teacher’s tears magnify the teacher’s sight enabling them to see light through darkness.  The light cuts through the darkness and the teacher sees the path to guide the child towards the vision of the successful adult they will be someday.  Graceful teachers always see the wonderful soul inside the hurting struggling child.


The tears drip and moisten a teacher’s face as the teacher wraps an arm around the child helping them down the path toward the light of a better day.  The teacher is shepherded by a greater hand and child’s tender heart starts to heal.


A test may measure what a child knows.   No test will ever measure the gracefulness of teachers.  Grace is the moment the teacher holds a child’s breaking heart and guides the child down the path of hope.  Grace makes a difference.


Darkness descends upon our classrooms.  A greater hand places a hurting child on a teacher’s path.  A graceful teacher trusts that they will help the child learn to be resilient, and develop a sense of humble pride knowing that hope will never disappoint them.


Tests can measure what a child knows.  Only a memory from a person’s childhood will ever be the true measure of a graceful and hopeful teacher.   Someday, an adult tells a story of when they were a hurting child and the teacher who was put on their path guiding them towards the light.  Tears well in the person’s eyes and somewhere the teacher smiles knowing they touched a life.


Never doubt, you make a difference.  Your difference lives in the memories of the children you nurture.  I am always thankful and appreciative of the graceful and hopeful teachers who live in the memory of their students because they make a difference.


Grace and hope will always shine through the darkest days.  Hope never disappoints.

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