I woke up early very
excited to greet my "retirement day"! Excited to go to the school
that I have gone to every day for the last 31 years. The school that I brought both of my children to. The same school that I have lovingly watched over my grandchildren at. The school where I have been so blessed to be called a teacher. That is what it is … a calling. God called me to be a teacher, when I didn’t
even know that I wanted to be one. In
fact, I was going to be everything but a teacher. My dad was one, my mom was one and my sister was one. I was not going to be a
teacher! I already had a job as a
secretary and that was the field I was going to pursue. God had other plans for my life.
I cleaned my classroom steady for two weeks or more preparing for this day; everything
from hats, old files, hats, old discarded reading books, odds and ends from the
past 31 years, and some more hats. Why so many hats? One of my favorite writing assignments in 3rd
grade to go along with the book “Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) by
Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, was to let them bring a hat to school that shared
a personal experience that they had shared with someone. As I explained, “The hat has a story to tell.” So, as they wore their hat they wrote their
story. If someone didn’t have a hat,
that’s when my boxes of hats came in. Just
choose a hat from the box, I would tell them and tell your story. The book is so endearing because it is about a relationship
that two young girls have with their aunt.
When they visit they get to hear stories about her adventures and they
get to wear the special hat that goes with her story. That’s what this journey is all about
relationships and stories that we can share with each other. Some good, some not so good, but nevertheless
they are stories about experiences and lessons learned. As a teacher you have a special relationship
with your students for nine months that no one else has had or will ever have. A teacher has a very special opportunity to
be a special part of their students lives…I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful stories to share.
As I walked into my
retirement party at 11 today, my 3rd grade team had decorated a table for me. It was so
touching and so fitting… and what was the theme? Hats!
The table was decorated around, “Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes
Later)”. There on the table was a copy
of the book with heartfelt inscriptions from each team member. It was so
thoughtful of them! In the center of the
table was a wide brimmed, sun hat with my initials on it, "SJO." The table was also decorated with a large
bird cage, a large pitcher, and other southern
charm, including my favorite cake, pound cake. It was delicious! Also on the table was a plaque with an inscription of my name and years taught. My precious family, dear friends, and faithful co-workers were there to share this momentous occasion with me.
As I prepared to leave my classroom for the last time, close friends dropped by
to share gifts and we exchanged stories with each other, stories of love and
encouragement. The lives that I have
been connected with in a special way…we shared our stories. I had managed to hold it all together and
push back the tears until the final few minutes that I shared with two special teammates. The floodgates opened as I told them about
all the memories in this classroom, good ones and bad ones. I walked out, holding close to my heart the
past 31 years.
When I was a freshman in high school my mom and I wrote a
campaign speech. She wanted to include
this poem. I do not know who wrote it
but I have never forgotten it. I am only one, but I am one, I cannot do
everything, but I can do something and what I can do and what I should do, by
the grace of God, I will do. We are not
called to everyone or to everything, but by the Grace of God we can be what we are suppose to be to the people in our lives. We can share our stories!
As I reminisced about this special day, words were hard, but
the one thing I was sure of was that God had “winked at me”, or to say it in
another way, I felt His love and favor in a very tangible way.
