Jill *
I had a dream last night that I wanted to share. I just read my friend Janet's blog and she talks about a dream she had as well--so if you're wondering if I'm copying her...maybe I am. Then again, maybe I'm not. Like it matters...anyway.
Last night I had a dream about a girl in my class who I will call Jill to protect her identity. This dream brought me to tears. Not just sniffle tears but full on chest sobs. It broke my heart. Somehow I ran into Jill 20 years from now. She was in a hospital room holding her newborn baby when I walked in and we started to chat. She asked me if I remembered her and I assured her that I did. (She's not one you can easily forget). I say her name several times a day...if you catch my drift.
We got to talking and she wanted to thank me for always being so loving and kind to her. She told me that while she was in my class she was being abused by family members and couldn't/wouldn't talk about it. As she looked at her newborn baby she swore to me that she would never let anything like that happen to her daughter. She was teary eyed as shes described her pain and how she would never want anyone she loved to experience that.
What did I take away from this dream? I have absolutely no reason to believe that "Jill" is being mistreated at home but I do know that we never know what people are experiencing at home. I never realized until being a teacher that we only see ONE aspect of a child's life: Their behavior in a classroom. They go home to parents, siblings, friends and extracurricular activities. Yes, we see them 8 hours a day but there are 24 hours in a day.
There are so many people around us who are silently suffering. I wish I would remember this more. There is so much we can do to lift the burden of a troubled soul around us. If only I could keep that perspective everywhere I go, all the time, no matter who I am surrounded by.
When I got to school today, I had to go up and give Jill * a big hug. It's funny because she was much better behaved today than usual. I'm not surprised...if the Savior was the teacher--He'd know how to treat all the children in a way that would make them want to listen, obey and be their best selves. That's what He does for me.
Last night I had a dream about a girl in my class who I will call Jill to protect her identity. This dream brought me to tears. Not just sniffle tears but full on chest sobs. It broke my heart. Somehow I ran into Jill 20 years from now. She was in a hospital room holding her newborn baby when I walked in and we started to chat. She asked me if I remembered her and I assured her that I did. (She's not one you can easily forget). I say her name several times a day...if you catch my drift.
We got to talking and she wanted to thank me for always being so loving and kind to her. She told me that while she was in my class she was being abused by family members and couldn't/wouldn't talk about it. As she looked at her newborn baby she swore to me that she would never let anything like that happen to her daughter. She was teary eyed as shes described her pain and how she would never want anyone she loved to experience that.
What did I take away from this dream? I have absolutely no reason to believe that "Jill" is being mistreated at home but I do know that we never know what people are experiencing at home. I never realized until being a teacher that we only see ONE aspect of a child's life: Their behavior in a classroom. They go home to parents, siblings, friends and extracurricular activities. Yes, we see them 8 hours a day but there are 24 hours in a day.
“Security” by David Bowman
There are so many people around us who are silently suffering. I wish I would remember this more. There is so much we can do to lift the burden of a troubled soul around us. If only I could keep that perspective everywhere I go, all the time, no matter who I am surrounded by.
When I got to school today, I had to go up and give Jill * a big hug. It's funny because she was much better behaved today than usual. I'm not surprised...if the Savior was the teacher--He'd know how to treat all the children in a way that would make them want to listen, obey and be their best selves. That's what He does for me.
"Consider the Lilies" by Simon Dewey
Comments
thanks friend.