Sometimes teaching preschool isn't easy. No, I don't mean the job itself, I mean "doing" the job. Preschool teacher have to be happy. You just cannot have an unhappy preschool teacher. Now, this is usually not a problem for me. How can I be unhappy??? I mean I love my job. I adore my class, my co-workers and no one could have a more pleasant director. But late last week things changed. Not with school, but with life. Early Thursday morning I got the call to say my sweet friend Lottie had lost her battle with cancer. School started in only a couple of hours, I had to put on my "happy face". I knew it wouldn't be easy but I washed my face, reapplied my make-up and headed out the door. I wasn't sure I could do it, but the first person I saw was my precious friend Christi (I usually call her my "partner-in-crime"). No two people could possibly be more different. Yet, I'm pretty sure she is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Sure enough I heard, "you didn't have to come in, I've got this", I knew she meant it, but I knew I had to be there. As soon as children started coming in the door, I knew I was in the right place. Christi never left my side. We joined our classes and had an amazing day. We gobbled like turkeys and laughed more than usual. Soon it was time for our day to end. The sadness and the tears came back but they quickly left again on Friday morning when once again school began. Today I said good-bye to my friend Lottie. There is a big hole in my heart and I will miss her more than I can say. But at least I have a sweet group of 3 & 4 years olds and great friends, who will help me make it through.
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| My sweet friend Lottie |
Karen,
ReplyDeleteI am so truly sorry for your loss. A loss of a good friend is so heartbreaking and truly leaves a hole in one's heart.
I do agree about being with our little ones to help keep us happy. I've been going through an incredibly tough time this past year personally. If it weren't for my preschoolers, I don't know what I would do. They do make me happy and take my mind off the unhappy parts of my life at the moment. We are truly blessed to be in a profession that can bring us such joy.
I, too, lost a dear teacher friend that I shared my Kindergarten classroom with for ten years. It was heartbreaking! My heart goes out to you. I agree that the children are the best thing for you at this time.
ReplyDeleteLike you, my team mates all banded together and helped me through it when the news finally came that she went to be with the Lord. I still find reminders of her all the time, even now that it has been more than ten years since her passing- notes that she made in my file cabinet, art projects that she created, I even found a Valentine card from her to me in my Valentine's Day bag once! And it had been used and emptied several times since her passing. Then one year I emptied it again, and this time, out popped a small, cheap Valentine with Winnie the Pooh on it, that said, "Happy Valentine's Day from Mrs. Kinne." I was so stunned that I could hardly speak! It must have been stuck in the bottom of that lunch bag project for years. Or maybe her angel came and put it there!
:)
God bless you!
Heidi Butkus