Teaching gave me many gifts, the joy of seeing a student "get it", the laughter, the sense of making a tiny difference, and the pleasure of making life-long friends. Today I had the pleasure of meeting with one of those very special friends to have lunch, bring each other up to date on absent pals, discuss the world situation (and, of course, solve all the problems!), laugh, and share notes on books we've read or should read.
Jean and I worked together for several years and for most of them we taught our subjects together whenever we thought our students would gain the most from doing that. Her subject was Social Studies and mine English. Four times a year we taught major units that lasted - usually - 4 to 6 weeks. If holidays interrupted the flow, the time might be longer. If the students were especially adept, the time could be shortened. All that shared time spent in creating, planning, and implementing brought Jean and me close. As a result, our monthly lunches are a treaure to me.
Today, we celebrated my birthday - belatedly, yes, but that doesn't matter.
When Jean arrived, we sat in the living room and she handed me two beautifully wrapped gifts (among many other talents, Jean is able to make the appearance of a present a significant part of the gift). The first gift was a lovely pin - blueberries on a small branch with leaves. She knows I love pins, and this one coordinated so well with what I was wearing that I immediately put it on.
When Jean arrived, we sat in the living room and she handed me two beautifully wrapped gifts (among many other talents, Jean is able to make the appearance of a present a significant part of the gift). The first gift was a lovely pin - blueberries on a small branch with leaves. She knows I love pins, and this one coordinated so well with what I was wearing that I immediately put it on.
The second gift? Well, we frequently give each other books so it was no surprise to me that the second gift was clearly a book. It was a picture book by one of our favorite authors, Patricia McKissack. It is Stitchin' and Pullin' a Gee's Bend Quilt" illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera. Let me quote from the front flap of the book cover:
Mother and daughter, grandmother and grandaughter, aunt and niece, friend and friend. For a hundred years, the women of Gee's Bend have quilted together, sharing stories, trading recipes, singing hymns - all the while stitchin' and pullin' thread through cloth.
Isn't that perfect? But that's not what meant the most to me - not just that Jean gave me the gift of a book about quilting or about the Gee's Bend quilters. It's what she said as she looked up at "Daisy Makes Do" hanging over the piano. She told me that she gave me the book because it reminded her of that wall hanging and the story behind it.
That was one of the best gifts I've ever been given. Jean "gets it".
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