A Moment of Clarity

I recognized him the moment I saw him. It had been five years, but his face was the same. A flashback from my first year of teaching. An old student. One who had, I'd heard, moved away after that year in my class. I really hadn't thought of him since. He was much bigger now...he'd grown a few inches, had some facial hair, and lots of that awkward teen stuff going on....

He was in a crowd of students at my husband's bible class's youth rally at school. Big large band, lots of kids, noise, and on top of all that I was trying to make sure my Grace stayed in sight and my Sophie didn't eat every rock in the parking lot.

I had been having a rough day. I was thinking that teaching just wasn't worth it, too much TAKS, too little Sophie, too much red tape over the wrong things.....then.... a moment of clarity.

"Hey Mrs. Ferrell..."
"-------! Wow....I recognized you the moment I saw you! How've you been? Where've you been? Give me a hug!" (I'm not the one for uncomfortable silence as you can tell)
"I'm good. I've been in -------, with my dad. Things weren't so great there. So I came back."
"Who are you with now?" I asked
"My mom. Well, me and my two brothers and sister came back to visit her during Spring Break ...I'd only seen her twice all year....and I asked her if I could live with her. I wasn't doing so good there....I was failing all my classes."
"Were you getting into trouble there?" I asked.
He nodded.
"I'm not sure if I'm gonna make it here.....with my classes and all, " he continued.
"-----, yes you are......how's your relationship with your mom? Have ya'll reconnected?"
"It's hard. It's just me and my brothers. She said she didn't want my sister."
Silence.
"It's all tough. I know . -----, I'm serious. If you need any help - any help at all- you come see me. Or my husband at the high school. We'll help you with your classes. Okay?"
He nods.
A quick hug, then off he goes. A boy in a troubled man's world.

That brief conversation stuck with me for the rest of the evening, and is still stuck there right now. I've been so selfish (no news flash there). God gave me this position to affect/help/change kids' lives. For whatever reason, I'm there. And my mission should be, everyday, to show those kids that someone loves them - no matter what. And someone will be there - no matter what.

Clarity.