The Little Boy Who Had Nothing

Louis used to steal gardenias for me. Oh sure, I just confessed for a former eight-year-old. (He is well into his twenties by now. Surely the statute of limitations has expired!) I treasured those flowers and the little aphids that crawled all over them. I kept an old mason jar in my classroom in anticipation of the stolen goods and would gush over their smell, their beauty, and the thoughtful gesture.

Louis delighted in his ability to give me one of my favorite things. He also enjoyed the adventure and excitement of choosing a different bush to pluck a flower from as quickly as possible to avoid being caught. Luckily, his walk to school included many gardenia bushes. Louis was extremely poor and had very few resources to work with, yet he found much joy in giving.

Every spring when the gardenias bloom, I think about the little boy who had nothing and gave so joyfully. I want to show up for my students with that same joy. Many teachers are feeling fatigue right now. We can’t teach the way we used to, and our resources might be limited. We have had to improvise, adapt, and overcome in ways we never imagined.

May we all remember that our students are facing many challenges as well. Our fatigue is real, but the needs of our students are real too.

How can we spark a little joy? I am reading a new read-aloud, sharing a joke once a week, and continuing to pull strategy groups in class and in breakout rooms on Zoom. I am choosing to delight in the daily routines of CAFE that help me teach reading successfully. I am doing those things joyfully in hopes that it is contagious.

May we all find joy and share it as much as we can. Our students are counting on us.