Thank Yous

There are three holidays that I just don’t deal with very well: Christmas, my birthday, and Mother’s Day.

Not that I don’t love my own mother, and everything that mothers do, but it’s just one more opportunity to be reminded that I don’t fit in with my culture–and that’s not an indictment against the LDS Church, because even my students often look at me weird when they learn I don’t have kids. And only two of my students are LDS.

So it’s Mother’s Day weekend, and I’m bound to be reminded multiple times about what the world tells me I lack.

But this morning in my mailbox, I found five construction-paper cards. Cards that were handmade, drawn in crayon, and folded in half. They were thank you cards from seniors.

(Before you get all impressed with their initiative, it’s a yearly senior English class activity.)

Cards that told me I was a great teacher, an excellent role model. Two students wrote that I inspired them to become English teachers (should I advise them otherwise?). And one student wrote “You put off a feminist vibe, which was pretty funny at times.” I don’t think he meant it as an insult…

The cards are my own version of the millions of macaroni or glitter-encrusted construction paper cards that will be given to mothers on Sunday morning.

It’ll be nice to have something of my own to read Sunday morning.