Make My Day

I have been struggling this week. I am fighting a cold or have aggravated allergies or whatever it is I suffer from every end-of-September, after a few weeks back in this Petri Dish Dust Ball that resembles a high school. I’ve had a sore throat and I’ve been achy and not myself. Not wanting to stay home sick, I’ve been trying to take it easy at night, and get plenty of rest to make it through the week. I think it is working; getting up at 5:30 this morning wasn’t too bad, given that I went to bed at 8:30. I even made it in to school a few minutes early.

Once at school, I logged on to my computer—like every morning—and opened everything that I need to function: my on-line grade and attendance book, the on-line text book for my Biology classes, a few Word and Power Point documents, and my email account. But today—unlike most mornings— I had an email in my inbox not from another address in my district. It was from a former student.

“It's [LK]. I was just writing you to thank you so much for teaching me about neurons and the brain! I know it sounds random, but I am a psychology major and we are learning all about the structure of neurons (like the dendrites, and we learned about the end buttons) and all the different parts of the brain (like the frontal, occipital [lobes] etc.). Me and a few other kids in the class [sic] are the only ones who know what the professor is talking about. I just wanted to thank you because your class has made it so much easier for me to follow along in the lectures! Thank you again!”

I wrote back immediately. I had time to, of course. “Hi, [LK]! Thanks so much for writing. I’m glad you are finding it easier to follow along in lectures because of your experience in A&P. Your hard work is paying off! […] Your note made my day.”

I’m glad I didn’t stay home sick. Today I’m even glad that I choose to continue to work in this Petri Dish Dust Ball that resembles a high school.