I was walking down the sterile, colorless, and depressing hall in the
hospital
towards the room in which my 84 year old mother-in-law was slowly recovering
from severe
flu induced pneumonia. For a few seconds, however, tears of joy were filling
my eyes. I
wiped away the one or two that overflowed my lids and were running down my
cheek. I
pushed the door open and went in to share with Susan what had just happened.
I had been leaning on the counter at the nurse's station, kidding
around with my
mother-in-law's floor nurse, Libby, to get my mind off what was going on in
Room 516 and
to recharge my depleted battery. A floor nurse from another wing came up close
to me. I
turned my head towards her. She looked straight at me with a delightful,
almost impish,
smile. She had a twinkle in her eye as if she was about to spring a trap.
And, she did.
"Still using triads and journals to help students learn about life and
history?" I looked
at her stunned. Knowing she had gotten the better of me, she asked, "Do you
remember me?"
"No," I answered as I started an intense gaze at her, "but doggone if
you don't
you looked familiar. I think I'm supposed to know you."
She introduced herself. Her name didn't ring a bell. She reminded me
that she
had been a non-traditional student in our class twelve years ago when I was
beginning to
apply in the classroom the life lessons I was learning from the inner journey
set off by
my epiphany.
"My god," I quietly said. "that's been a while back." I still didn't
specifically remember who she was. She was making me feel old. Then,
suddenly, a long
lost memory jumped into my head and I felt a wave of youthful exuberance sweep
over me. I
remembered her journal entries as if I had just read them a few minutes ago in
which she
had poured out her heart. Now it was my turn to broadside her. "I remember
you now. You
wrote about.....We used to talk about....."
"Yes!" she was no less surprised than was I. "After all these years
you remember.
Isn't that something....I struggled with a line or two at first as if I didn't
want to
read what I had to write, and then I started pouring out my heart. It was as
if I
couldn't stop. I had to get a lot out about......."
"That was the first quarter I tried student journaling. It was on a
voluntary
basis in those days. Yours was one of those that convinced me to keep using
them and make
them a requirement so I could get to know each student.....You know, for
whatever reason,
I kept most of the journals from those early years. They're hidden away in two
file
cabinets. Since they weren't cluttering up the floor in my office, I've left
them sitting
there doing nothing all these years. Every now and then I thought of chucking
them, but
something always stopped me. I figured they weren't doing any harm. So, I
left them
alone. I still may have yours stuffed away there..... I'll check to see if
I still
have yours and I'll send it to you....."
"That was some class. The triads, group open quizzes, discussions, the
projects,
and especially you and climate you created for each student to grow.....It took
all the
hesitation and doubt about myself out of me....It helped me see I was not too
stupid to
become a nurse as I had been told by.....You helped me find the answers to my
questions
about what I was doing there.....It was a defining experience. And, as time
passed, I
realized more and more that you were the defining teacher to me.....You've been
with me
ever since, inspiring and motivating me to know there isn't anything I can't
do....I'm
thinking about going back to school soon to get more education so maybe I can
teach and
prepare future nurses....It's all about touching people, isn't it....you helped
and
touched me and now I help and touch others....I'm a good nurse because of what
you helped
me teach myself.... I glad I happened to be on this floor at this moment and
had a chance
to tell you this.....Go figure. I guess sometimes you just don't ask about
such things."
We chit-chatted for a few minutes as she told me about herself and I
told her
about myself and how the class has been evolving. Then, she hugged me and
whispered a
soft, "I never thanked you. Now's the time. 'Thank you.' Keep doing what
you're doing."
Thinking I had just passed what my good friend, Don Fraser, calls "the
five year
test," I returned the hug. "In those days, when I was wondering, you helped me
know that
I was not wasting my time. You're one of those who convinced me to keep at it.
And, now
you're doing it again. It's my turn to thank you."
Have you ever been so happy that you cried? Remember the sheer
happiness that
swelled up inside your body and swelled your eyes with water? Is there
anything more
powerful? More reassuring? More affirming? More inspiring? More motivating?
I'm sure
most of you don't have to imagine it. I'm sure all of you have had the chance
to feel
that way. If you have, you know what I mean when I say in those moments, in
that place, I
felt: happy, humble, and blessed. I still do.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of History www.newforums.com/L_Schmier.htm
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\
(229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\____/\ \/\
/ \ \__ \/ /
\ /\/
\ \ /\
//\/\/ /\ \_ /
/___\/\ \ \
\/ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains \ /\
_/ \ don't practice on mole
hills" -/
\
---
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