As a teacher, I am constantly thinking about and channeling memories of my own children, grown though they may be. At least ten times every day, one of my students reminds me in some way of one of my kids, and I am swept back into my past.
And every time that I spend time now with my all-grown-up kids, I find myself thinking about my students.
My worlds often coexist inside my mind.
Today, though, I had the very great pleasure of having my two loves overlap.
It was kind of a long day, with a full morning of state tests taking up the largest part of the day. I had kids in tears, kids asking for the nurse, kids with strep who came because it was the big test day, and kids who blew their noses fifty times in an hour and then shoved all the soggy, packed tissues into a tupperware on their desks. It was a LONG morning.
After lunch, I read to everyone, and then gave them all cameras and iPods so they could take pictures for a book project that we are just about to begin.
With a half hour left in the day, I got a call from the school office.
“Karen, you have a visitor. Can I send him up?”
It was my son, Tim; my baby boy. I knew that he was coming from college today to meet my husband for a hockey tournament. I knew that there was a chance that he’d decide to meet his Dad at my school, in its central location. I knew that there was a chance he’d arrive before the end of the school day.
So all day today, as I corrected and filed and proctored and encouraged and monitored everyone, my mind kept rushing to the thought “Tim is coming!”
Its hard to describe the lifting, soaring emotion that goes with the thought of seeing and hugging one of my babies. It fills the whole mundane, prosaic day with a sense of magic and joy.
Its as if someone is lighting a candle in my heart.
So the office called, and my tired, stressed out students began to giggle and buzz and chatter. You see, they hear about my boys every day, but they have never met either one of them. They were all excited to think of Tim’s arrival in their classroom.
Before he got there, the kids and I made a plan. “OK”, I urged them, “you all need to look bored and tired and totally down. If you can squeeze out a tear of misery, that would be great!” As Tim came down the hall, the kids all slumped into their seats, heads in their hands, frowns firmly in place. I launched into my mean old woman role.
“So….I expect you all to do that math homework this weekend! NOBODY can have any fun!”, I barked. “And you all need to hand in your…um…15 page report on…..um…the, ah…the age of the universe!” I finally took a breath and pretended to be surprised to see Tim at the door.
He was grinning, the students were giggling, and I was smiling from ear to ear.
For the next half hour, I had the surreal pleasure of watching my son, in his adult role, interacting with my fifth grade students. I noticed the kids who suddenly became giddy, the ones who had a hundred questions for Tim, and the ones who developed an immediate crush.
I saw Tim reacting to them, and I saw him watching me in my place of comfort and security. And my worlds collided and overlapped for that short time, and I was overwhelmed by the power of the moment.
I love my boy so much. My students let me relive and remember just how much I do love him and his siblings. And my love for my own children is what lets me be patient and loving with my students.
What a funny, emotional, powerful half hour I had today!
Now I just hope I can coax Matt into my classroom!
Empty Nest, Full Life 
When I taught, it was always special having my kids visit the classroom. This post really made me smile!
LikeLike
So happy to have made you smile; thanks for telling me! It was kind of funny today, because I have so many memories of Tim and his siblings coming with me to school when they were really little and had a bad asthma day, or a broken bone or a doctor’s appointment. It so funny to have them there as adults!
LikeLike
What a wonderful way to end the day! =)
LikeLike
It was, for sure! A great way to end a crazy week with a snow day and state tests AND a personal day off! Phew.
LikeLike
Love that you had a special visitor, and love that visitor!
LikeLike
You can appreciate how great it is to see that special, “all grown up” kid in your doorway!
LikeLike
A lovely story! I especially like the “lighting a candle in my heart” part. And warmer weather is getting closer, really…
LikeLike
Its just crazy how being with one of my kids warms up inside!
LikeLike
That’s how it should be!
LikeLike
That’s wonderful!
(And I love that you asked your kids to play along!)
LikeLike
My real kid or my borrowed kids? My students love to be silly; its one of the best parts of my job! Once they pulled a similar thing when the principal came into our class. Luckily, it was goofy enough that he caught on to the joke!
LikeLike
Thanks for getting my day started with a smile!
LikeLike
You’re welcome! Thanks for smiling!
LikeLike
What a great story — and great sports all around. And what a great way for your week to end. Thanks for telling us all about it, Moms.
LikeLike
It really was such a fun little bit of time! I can’t wait to hear the kids talk about it on Monday!
Thanks for the comment, Elyse!
LikeLike
What a beautiful story. I have had my youngest son (14) help me out in my class a few times and the kids lose their minds. They love it. It makes you so much more real to them.
LikeLike
So true, thank you for commenting!
When the kids were little, they used to come with me to school sometimes when they had a doctor’s appointment, or a day off, or sometimes just because we wanted to be together. Seeing Tim in my classroom now really made me remember all of the times when he was the “little one” at the school!
LikeLike
Best best line, “Its as if someone is lighting a candle in my heart.” Going to carry that one beautiful line with me, thank you.
LikeLike
And thank YOU for the lovely compliment. I know that you understand what I mean. I never knew, when I had those kids so many years ago, that they would still own my heart this way……!
LikeLike
This is just sooooo lovely – for all of you. Isn’t it wonderful when our worlds collide like this! Oh and your son has a fab smile. 😉
LikeLike
Isn’t he cute? This one looks just like his Dad, I must say!
LikeLike