Simple Pleasures

           This morning I headed to the gym for our normal Friday assembly, but got stopped in the gym by a teacher.  As I was talking to that teacher, two small arms found their way around my legs.  I looked down and it was one of my students giving me a hug.  This particular student is a delight to have in class, but had never given me a hug before.  Much less a hug first thing in the morning in front of all the other students.  I put my arm around her, and gave her a squeeze.  She hung on for a minute and then went to sit down. I realized later that in the process, I had never even made eye contact or really even addressed her as I was too busy talking with another teacher.  How often in life do we miss those small tender moments.  Those moments that are unexpected and yet unintentionally mean the world to someone.

 Well, towards the end of the day, that same student came back up to me at my desk and gave me another big hug.  This time, I stopped, fully embraced the moment and gave her a good hug!  I told that student how important she was in my class and how wonderful she was.  Maybe today, this little girl just needed an extra person to put their arms around her and let her know that she was loved.  Aren’t we all like that?  The truth is, that little girl’s hug was needed more by me today then she even knew.  I needed that hug today  I needed that innocent hug that was given to me first thing this morning.  She had walked into school, seen me, and wanted to simply say thank you and I’m glad to see you again.  It was only a hug, but it meant the world to me.   It reminded me on a day that I needed reminding that what I do matters.  That by the grace of God, I have been given the ability to love children.  I may never be great at data collecting, or differentiating the content, or grading papers in a timely fashion, but I have been given the gift of love.  I love the kids that I teach.  They are the people I spend my day with.  They are my kids.  I know them personally.  My prayer is that my students know the love that I have for them.  That little hugs and little hands that squeeze my thigh matter.  They are just kids who want to know that they matter and are loved.  By God’s power, my heart swells with love for them.  Simple pleasures.  My heart desires to cherish and embrace every single simple pleasure it receives.