One Single Impression: Joie de Vivre

"For  you,"
He says.

He is "Five,"
The special ed. kid
Who learned this summer
To count by fives

And does so
With the joy
Most of us save for the moment
We eat our favorite ice cream.

For me:
A maple leaf
Turning red

Weeks before I'd expect it to.

But here we are on the sidewalk
Because some kid
Tried to set the school on fire
For the second day in a row

And there's just nothing to do
Out here right now.

"Look at it under a microscope.
"You see every cell. It is alive,"
He tells me.

"Have you done that?"

"No," he says.
"I don't need to.
"My teacher told me."

Oh.
"Thank you. It is beautiful,"
I smile.

"I know."
And the last word:

"I gave it to you."

It is alive.

So it went last week. A developmentally disabled child who learned to count by fives this summer introduced himself to me by making a gift to me of a maple leaf. The trust and confidence of this child stole my heart--as it does every day with my own students. Here is the conversation over the leaf, though. Here is the gift of life. There are days I walk or sit in silence and ponder the significance of the gift. A beautiful thing.

One Single Impression

Post a Comment

31 Comments

  1. The school year is certainly a challenge for you. It is good that you can see the joy presented in the unexpected.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This gave me the chills. I am learning to see again this way by watching the joy my one year grandson sees in the "smallest" of things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. how sweet, child are so capable of love and wonder

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous9:07 AM

    If only more of us could retain our Joie de Vivre as we grow older. They're easy to recognize, those lucky few who have managed to hold onto theirs. I hope I'm one of them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a beautiful story of what giving is really about.

    An Arkies Musings

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's lovely Sandy! Children can express the greatest wisdom.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah, Sandy, if only we could always see and experience the world through a child's eye! Take care, stay safe and enjoy the weekend -- let your inner child see and know the beauty.

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  8. That was lovely! I have been presented with all sorts of little tokens like that in the past.
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

    ReplyDelete
  9. Soak in it, wallow in it, love it - those kids bring you such joy.

    Thanks for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Such a life-enhancing moment. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. And what a gift he gave you Sandy. This is something we lose along the way to adulthood -- to be appreciative of the little things, the small details.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a lovely gift. His to you.. and your acknowledgement of it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That was a beautiful heart-felt gift! And you received it with such grace. It doesn't get any better than this!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a wonderful story and what a wonderful gift.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6:27 PM

    Once again, a deep bow in respect of your writing and being.

    Please have a wonderful new week you all.

    daily athens

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a touching story...children can give you the most beautiful moments to remember.

    ReplyDelete
  17. As another teacher I relate to this!

    about fish, chips, nothing much else

    And do get aboard the Poetry Train every Monday mornings and thereafter!

    ReplyDelete
  18. that is so sweet and well said!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I loved that he knew it was beautiful because, well because he gave it to you! That touched me.

    thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Pretty touching Sandy..

    ReplyDelete
  21. Very touching work! Awesome post! =)

    -Weasel

    ReplyDelete
  22. Such a wonderful story! A wise small Man he is :) What a gift he gave you, and what a gift he is! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. And... I'm so sorry for your school buildning!

    ReplyDelete
  24. so sweet, Sandy, and he must sense you are an equally caring person.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Beautiful poem Sandy with a lovely message. The appreciation of joy and life resonates in your words. Thanks for sharing this experience.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Its the pure and simple things in life that make it the most rewarding, isn't it Sandy.
    A teacher can make a 'huge difference in the life of a child, I have seen it in my own challenged child.

    Thank you for all that you do and are, Sandy!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sandy, I liked this. It is soooooo true to life!

    Sometimes it takes a simple person to see the simple things.
    Might we all please be simple some times.

    I especially relate to this:

    "Look at it under a microscope.
    "You see every cell. It is alive,"
    He tells me.

    "Have you done that?"

    "No," he says.
    "I don't need to.
    "My teacher told me.
    "

    My last line here would have been,
    "My workbook showed it so."

    For the two years, freshman and sophomore, that I went to the country high school our microscope was broken. We had three in our class. My biology class was all done in books or from what nature we could find outside.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  28. I just love how YOU find the joy in the ordinary and unexpected. That is a great reminder for us all. I need to slow down and listen and revel in the "now" Hope your year is going ok. Miss you on FB!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sandy, this is so beautiful and heartfelt. I can feel your joy in the simple. Lovely words and images.



    Melanie

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for being here.