But the reason I give you this picture (instead of a photo of Robert Frost's house, which I couldn't take because it was midnight when we arrived) is because when we arrived my daughter handed me a note given her by this young lady, who is one of the children I taught to crochet at the camp.
She had written to thank me for teaching her to crochet, and it's a note I'll treasure forever. She writes, "I made an actual beanie! It goes all the way to my ears! I've made three hats in all and I just finished a finger crochaed (sic) bag. Please, please, please come next year! I wish you could of stayed for the whole session." ... and she drew pictures for me of the hat and bag she made.
Omigosh, SO SWEET!
And what strikes me about this -- as I think about how much I enjoyed that week of teaching at my daughter's camp -- is that my mother -- who met my dad designing airplanes for the federal government after WWII -- always resented giving up that career to have me (I was an unplanned pregnancy) and hated that the only careers available to her when I was finally old enough to go to school were librarian and teacher (she was clearly NOT cut out to be a nurse). She hated teaching, and was determined that I NOT grow up to be a teacher, so determined that I never even considered it as a career.
Which is sad, I think now, because it's clear I would have gotten enormous satisfaction out of a teaching career. Oh, well. There have been many other satisfactions in my life -- and I'm lucky that I still have opportunities to explore -- thanks to my own daughters, who have encouraged me in so many ways, AND have provided me multiple opportunities to teach, at least on a small scale. Mothering has been a wonderful job, and I'm grateful -- though I gave up a career for a while -- that I got to do it and concentrate on it.
(sorry if this seems a little disjointed; there's a TV on in the background, so I'm finding it hard to sustain a thought...)
Anyway, I just wanted to share all this with you, and wasn't sure when I'd get a chance tomorrow. Thanks for listening --
Anyway -- easy flight, perfect timing, and many blessings. I wish you all the same!
3 comments:
I think you do teach - and every day. You show us through your photography how you use your eyes. You show through your words how you write poetry or interpret a passage from your reading or search for meaning and find wonder in the everyday. You don't need the label to be what you are.
There is so much in this post.
Your mother's attitude towards the GIFT of YOU makes me sad. I am sorry that she communicated that attitude to you, and I'm thankful that you discovered LOVE in your husband, your children, your friends and community. You deserve it.
It's not too late for you to be a teacher; who knows where you may be called, as you listen deeply? Obviously, you touched this one student and gave her a gift of great value.
One more thought: the hospital & Ronald McDonald House always need cute knitted/crocheted hats for cancer patients. Perhaps your students might find inspiration in that idea.
Thank you both for your generous spirits! And Karen, I LOVE that idea!!! I will contact my daughter and that sweet girl and suggest it; see if I can spread the word. I'm excited!
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