Just a Moment to be Thankful

This week my after-school program started back up.

It was crazy when the first little girl walked in and I realized that I had been working with her for three years. She had grown over the summer, but immediately buried her head in my side in a tight hug. Kid hugs may be the best hugs out there. She had grown over the summer and her hair was different, but she was still the same little girl I knew. She was still sassy, sweet, and constantly questioning everything.

It was that moment when I realized that I absolutely am in the right field. I have watched her grow and change, and maybe somewhere over the years, I helped just a little bit. She has also helped me grow and the best thing is I will never stop. I will never stop learning. I am so excited for this year just to see what I learn from the only population on this planet shorter than me.

It’s also interesting now, when I go to neighborhood community events for recruitment, people know me. Families walk by and give ‘Ms. Sarah’ a hug. Teachers and school faculty I’ve interacted with come by and ask how school is going. That’s the part of education that I feel like get’s overlooked, but I’m fascinated by: how the school and the neighborhood can work together to foster a welcoming and supportive community.

I am so happy I do what I do, and I know that once I REALLY start a career (we call that being a ‘real person’) I can get even more involved.

Moral of story:

Kids are great. People are great. Life is great when you look at it the right way.