Gift of Words

From my good friend, Karyn, whose daughter, was in my class this year and who is a strong woman of faith and an English teacher...so, she gets it.  She really gets it and I cry, still, each time I read this.  Amazed, yet again.
Get your towel ready for some sweating eyes.


The classroom is empty and silent
The remnants of the day are scattered throughout
Children are gone, but the work remains
straightening,
collecting,
disinfecting,
praying.
It's an unlikely mission field.
For years she has toiled here
Carefully preparing and repairing little hearts and minds
Too soon hardened by this world
Planting seeds of love and knowledge
Watering with compassion
Inspiring growth
Feeding with truth and patience
Protecting these tiny sprouts from the predators of doubt and neglect.
For a season they are hers
Prior to sending them out to nourish a world that is starving.
A lifetime of harvests she has reaped
Surveying the field one final time she wonders...
She does not fear their future without her.
She knows she has prepared them well.
As she turns the lights off in the room one last time,
Her children, far too numerous to count,
rise, and call her BLESSED.


Gotta go get my towel.