Four years of teaching 2nd grade brought joy and laughter...but with it came a hysterectomy, a benign tumor that stole her ovary, another tumor that damaged her bowel. Surgery after surgery that drained her strength...and left her health impaired. And three weeks ago, an emergency surgery at the Mayo Clinic removed a third tumor. Hope at returning to "her" classroom, "her"students, "her" job filled her thoughts.
But today...today, changed her path. Today, the ugliness of policy damaged her soul and left her broken. Her body too injured to cope, her emotions too raw to express, a heart too betrayed to comprehend. Just like that her classroom, her job...was taken away and given to someone else. Just like that.
Teachers, great teachers, are hard to come by. This teacher is a great teacher. She loved the students, cared about them, was invested in their blossoming future....and the loss breaks my heart. Selfishly, I want her there for MY kids. I want her there to love and care for MY kids; to teach and mold MY kids.
Her path has been changed. Her journey is not a journey of a teacher....but that of a mother. Four children fear for their mother's health. Four children pray as they wheel her to surgery. Four children cry tears of relief as she awakens in recovery. Four children....who need their mother.
No. It is not always our chosen path. Sometimes our journey is changed by that which is greater...more powerful...all knowing. In limbo, she waits while trust and hope battle fear and doubt. In patience, she rests while tears try to mend her broken heart and feelings of betrayal. Time passes slowly as her body heals...but time is her resting ground. She is broken...but perfect; flawed...but beautiful; vulnerable...but precious.
There is but a time for everything. This time, this moment, this path...demands for her to be still and know and trust and pray. Our path, our journey, our way is not always ours to choose. Sometimes the detour is scary and painful, heartbreaking and confusing...but tomorrow the sun will rise...and maybe the path will be lit.
This post is written and dedicated to my son's second grade teacher who's health has deteriorated and job was taken while home trying to recover. It is in response to the prompt: "write about a time when you took a detour. Where had you intended to go and where did you end up?" This is part of the Red Dress Club.
15 comments:
I hope that you sent this to her. It is beautifully written. My prayers go out to this woman and her family.
THis is the comment I received via email from the teacher whom this is dedicated. For some reason my blog rejected her comment...go figure...but I wanted to share it:
"You ask at the bottom of your blog... How much do you love me? How can I measure that? I'm so humbled that you would write such a beautiful poem about me... looking into my soul... reflectiing my spirit. No wonder I love your son so much... he's a reflection of you.
Speaking of the Son, you brought me to my knees... in thankful prayer. Support when there is only darkness has a brillance all its own.
From the bottom of my heart... to the bottom of your blog... thank you, Crystal"
Can you see why this is such a painful loss? She is a gift...and my child is a better person having known and learned from her.
We should all be so lucky in making such an impression on others in life as this wonderful teacher has on yours.
It upsets me greatly that her job was taken away; what a heartless school district to so flippantly discard a valued educator. My oldest daughter is a high school administrator and goes to the mats to protect the jobs of any of her faculty who suffer medical, or other, issues.
My prayers are with this wonderful woman and her family.
Patty
This is such an amazing dedication. I sad for you that you will no longer have her teaching your children on a day to day basis. Seems criminal to me. And what a wonderful comment she sent to you!
Heartbreaking and wonderful dedication to someone who sounds like an amazingly strong, talented person.
As a former teacher, I am really touched by this post.
Hell, as a human being I'm touched by this post!
Thanks for writing it. I'm sad it's non-fiction!
What a beautiful post and wonderful tribute to this teacher! I hope she heals quickly and gets her job back.
Lovely and heart wrenching. That poor woman. I hope she is able to find happiness and security again.
What a beautiful compassionate piece. It warms me that there are people out there like you.
I love this. I don't love that it's real. It's so sad that she is going through this and I hope for the best. It sounds like your son was lucky to have her in his life, even for only a moment.
That's just heartbreaking. But there's also so much hope. I really love that last sentence. I think it sums up so much of life.
Your such a beautiful writer! This was soo sweet and so heartbreaking, Its so hard to understand life sometimes, so cruel, but we can find peace in knowing that there is a bigger picture! I hope your having a great weekend!
It is so sweet of you to write this. I think it's so awful her job was taken from her. I wish her the best.
Oh, it's so awful that she won't be able to be there for your kids. But, life really does throw us for some detours, doesn't it? And teaching requires so much time. I miss it sometimes, but I can't do it because I know it would take me away from my kids too much.
Such a beautfiful post! Some detours might take us off a career path, but we always hope it is for some other great life adventure, and not for health reasons. I hope your teacher has a full recovery and can enjoy all of life's detours.
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