On January 18th of this year, I retired after 25 years of teaching high school English in public schools in Louisiana. Teaching was grueling and glorious, frustrating and phenomenal, challenging and championing. In thinking about my post for this month, I wanted to share something about those relationships.
Over my years of teaching, I’ve estimated that no less than 5,000 students (we taught different students each semester) entered my classroom. But to be a teacher, means to believe in delayed gratification, and to never know if you made a difference.
Yet, isn’t that true for so many of us in our lives? We don’t count the numbers of people with whom we interact on a daily basis, lives that cross ours unexpectedly, and those who come into or disappear from our lives, seemingly haphazardly. Have we mattered? Sometimes we can answer that. Sometimes not.
So, I’m including a video here that was produced by students in the Broadcasting Academy at my high school. I hesitated doing this, thinking some may deem it a homage to myself. But, I wanted to show it because it reminded me, as I hope it does you, that we sometimes underestimate our potential for good. That we are so blessed to be provided, no matter what we do, the opportunity to share our lives and God’s love with others.
Photo Graphic Courtesy of Alycia W. Morales
Thanks, Christa, for the gentle reminder to keep going even when we can’t always see the impact we’re making. My default response is to become discouraged if I don’t see the “evidence” of my labor. But I’m reminded time & again not only why I’m called to be faithful but to whom.
Crystal,
I appreciate your stopping by and sharing. Delayed gratification can be difficult! And, you’re so right, it’s about the “whom,” not always about the “why.”