The Things You Get For Free

Thunderstorms while lying in bed
Someone letting you cut in line because they have 68 items to your 3
A compliment
The spectacular sunset
A nice long run on a cool night
Dad's weekend grilling
A new song playing on the radio
Someone laughing at your joke
Waking up without an alarm clock
An afternoon to read or write
The smell of your neighbor's fire

People Like Us

I'm realizing more and more how much I have in common with my students. I even see myself in them sometimes, which is somewhst eerie and possibly alarming, but also leads to some very insightful moments when I can calm the waters. I get it, it being that overwhelming need for things to make sense, to have some control, and try not to let it burst you open. I need logic, I need freedom, space...to the point where I don't always need people.  Sometimes I just watch them, their little selves conducting in a seemingly different dimension, and marvel, and other times I feel. I would be upset too. The effort to figure out what that feeling is, and the words needed to address it, is tiresome, exhausting. And to have all those expectations.....I know you can't always climb on the furniture and run wildly through the halls to get people to pay attention to you, or yell and throw things to get what you want, but that impulse runs strong. The impulse to throw everything else aside because its not important to me, only you. But I don't want to dissappoint you either. So, we try with regard, to understand and we don't succeed all the time, but we do. We do succeed.