A Most Heavenly Day

Today I worked in my primary placement classroom from 7:15 to 4:15--that's nine hours. When I left the building, I felt refreshed, rested, and immensely happy. I almost couldn't believe the mood I was in: it was magical and strange, like I was in a feel-good movie. Even remembering all the homework I still had left to do could not bring me down. Just what happened in this extraordinary day? It's so hard to explain--it wasn't anything big; it was a lot of small moments. Thinking back, I remember feeling love for every single student in my room--yes, every single one. I looked at them all, one by one, to confirm their lovableness! They each are a little light shining out into the world, each a precious person making sense of the world and trying to become their best selves. I saw them showing respect to each other, I saw them struggling with math problems, I saw them asking really important questions, and I saw them laughing and enjoying each others' company. I remember feeling love coming back to me. Kids lingered to talk to me, kids smiled at me, kids looked at me for approval as they worked their math problems, kids paid attention to me. Then there was the joy of spending the day with a masterful teacher who is enthusiastic and able to create a magical environment where students feel safe and experience joy. Throughout the day, whenever we had a free moment, we talked about what was happening with the kids and what it meant. It felt like we could never have enough time to say all we wanted to say to each other. It was energizing and stimulating and it helped me see who I am becoming as a teacher. Even walking the halls of the school was special. I smiled and said hello to all I encountered and they smiled and said hello back! Will every day I spend as a teacher be so enchanting?? No, of course not. But just one of these days, once in a while...ah, heaven.