The end of so many things.

The Final Days

With the devastating news out of CT I can not help but think of my own students and their families. I can not imagine ever having to face a similar situation here - thankfully our gun laws prevent that. However it is amazing how the children in a classroom quickly become your own, how their brothers and sisters become extensions of the classroom, how their mothers and fathers become friends. Maybe it is more so in such a small community. Yet when one child has had a long weekend I feel it, when a child celebrates a milestone I celebrate it, when a heart is full of sadness I would do anything to break a smile. We all would. With the commitment to teach comes the biggest reward - you get an additional family and nothing is more important than family.

This week marks the end of our school year. Some students I have had the joy of sharing their adventures for two years. I have watched them grow and learn and it is amazing. I remember the sadness and excitement of their parents faces on the very first day and now on their last days I feel the same sadness and excitement by 23!

All things change. One ending becomes a new beginning. Everything is going to be OK and I will watch my students move on, grow, change, learn and celebrate next year.

It is not fair that 20 other children will never have that opportunity. I will never understand what could make someone carry out an action such as this especially in a school. I just pray that the United States will take this opportunity to introduce tighter gun laws so that no classroom ever has to live this nightmare again.