Another Former Student

After writing about John yesterday, little did I realize that I would have an opportunity that same day to catch up with another former student! TM is dating a friend's son, and so our paths have begun crossing again even though it has been seven years since this sweet gal was in my classroom.

TM and me.

TM has the proverbial heart of gold and I saw that side of her frequently the two years she was in my classroom. After getting caught up on how she was, I remembered a blog post I had written about her (and horses) when she was in 5th grade. Here is a cut and paste of most of it:

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One of my students, TM, did a Classics book report on the book Misty of Chincoteague. She is a fellow horse lover, and used four model horses in her project, a diorama of Misty on the Beebe farm.

I told her that I, too, collected horses and since I had a picture of my collection on my phone, pulled it out and showed it to her.  Her eyes widened, and she broke into a huge smile. "I collect, too!" she crowed.

A week later, TM arrived at school toting a blue gift bag tied shut with orange ribbons. She placed it on my desk and announced, "This is for you."

I was surprised - it wasn't my birthday or a holiday. A random gift?

I understood when I opened it.

"They're from my collection," she told me. "I want you to have them.

Oh, dear. 

If anyone should be giving pieces of their collection away, it's me, not TM. 

Especially TM.

TM comes from a family of seven kids, and this mama of six knows that big families usually don't have much money to spend on extras. Extras like pieces for TM's model horse collection.

And yet TM was giving me a gift out of her own collection.

I felt a bit teary as I placed her ponies on my shelves among my other pieces. Grabbing my camera, I took a picture and put it in the thank you note that I wrote to her. 

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Here's something else I found as I looked through my teaching things for the photos used above. Not horsey, but it is pure TM. (And it still makes me cry.) Read on if you're interested. 

"Dear Mrs. I., I am very sorry you cannot flunk me. But would you mind taking a picture with me. Print it. Send it and share it with me so we can always remember me. Also I can remember you." (We had a running joke that I was going to flunk her so that we could have a third year together.)

At the end of our two years together, I gave TM a couple pieces from my own collection. She told me that she still has them and they are displayed on her shelves. I was pleased to tell her that her two horses still stand on my shelves, too.

And they always will - they are a reminder of a very kind and generous girl.

Wild Horses and a Former Student

Recently, a former student reached out to me via Facebook Messenger.  It is always, always, ALWAYS nice to hear from former students, but John's message had an extra measure of thoughtfulness.

John wouldn't know that one of my bucket list items is to see a wild horse living in the wild. He just remembered that I loved horses and took the time to send me a few of his photos.

I don't know which herd this is

outside of the fact that John said they were in Arizona.

He certainly captured some beautiful snaps of the horses!

It may be the camera angle, but this looks like a young horse to me.

This photo takes me back to my own teenage years and riding my horses out into the Wabash on a warm summer day. My horses would splash and paw the water as they drank and cooled off, too.

The year John was in my class, he and his family traveled to Thailand over Christmas break. 

He brought back this beautiful lily-shaped candle for me. It was too beautiful to burn, and I have displayed it in my china cabinet ever since.

After I got John's message and photos, I had to pull out this book.

My favorite book of all time, and I read it aloud to every class I ever taught. (In fact, I just read it again myself last week!) I would ask the students to sign my book when we finished it together. 

John had added a smiley face to his signature.

Thanks, John, for your kindness and thoughtfulness - you brightened this former teacher's day!

Social Media, Mourning, and Models

Social media facilitates one of the best things about having been a teacher - it enables former students to stay in touch. If they ask to follow or friend me, my answer is always YES! 

Sometimes you cry with joy at what is happening in their lives. (M invited me to his wedding this spring, but I'd just had my spine fused and couldn't travel to Atlanta at that time. He and his bride look so happy in this photo!)

Other times? Your tears are those of mourning. 

I went to the visitation for the brother of a former student yesterday. (This photo from the cemetery was taken by her mother.) It was a tragic and unexpected death, and the family was absolutely devastated. 

I decided I would bring a little gift for S when I went to the visitation. It needed to be something small so she could put it in her purse, but also something personal that sent the message that I cared for her and grieved with her.

My student was a horsey girl, and had even come to my house once to look at my collection, so I tucked a Stablemate mare and foal into this haversack and put it in my purse.

When it was my turn to offer condolences to the family, I spoke with S's mom a few moments and then turned to S and handed the haversack to her. I gave her a big hug, murmured that I was so sorry about her brother, and explained that I hoped the gift would let her know how much I cared. She smiled through her tears and nodded, hugging me back.

Like all of us, my former students go through their share of good times, hard times, and loss, and social media helps keep me apprised so I can reach out. I am so glad that I was able to be there for a kiddo who just lost her brother.

And hopefully those Stablemates will always remind S that I cared.