love, lee

This fall, my very good friend from home will be attending University of Michigan’s School of Social Work for their master’s program. When I Skype’d with her just now she told me how difficult it was for her to choose Michigan over UCLA. She has lived in Southern California all her life, and at first there was no doubt in her mind that she would choose UCLA. She realized, though, that if she didn’t break out of her comfort zone now she may never get the chance. So she went ahead and took a leap of faith.

Talking to her took me back to how I felt before making the move out here to Memphis, and it brought back that uneasy mix of emotions knowing you made the harder, but hopefully more rewarding, choice. 

Even though this year has continuously pushed me to the limit, and even though I often wish things were easier, how much I wouldn’t take this year back tells me I made the right decision. Hearing from my good friend that she was getting ready to take her own leap of faith has re-sparked my appreciation for everything that has happened from the moment I packed all the clothes/shoes/accessories I could into my Honda Civic coupe and drove 1800 miles east of Orange County to now, 5 days before I’m done with my first year teaching. These 20 children have taught me more about life than many adults I’ve known ever have, and I know I will always think about them no matter where I am or what I am doing in the future. As I write notes to each of my kids on the backs of their framed class pictures, I am hoping in the future they will somehow be able to remember how amazing and fearless they were in their first year of school; how obvious it was to them in Pre-K that they are ‘so smart’ and ‘going to college.’ They proudly say these things and brag about themselves every day in class, and I know as long as they keep some of the same fearlessness, love, and joy as they have today for the rest of their lives they will truly be able to do anything.

Thank you to my kids and all the inspiring people in my life who remind me to take my fears and bitch slap them. Amazing experiences and people await.