This is what happened last Wednesday. I swear evey word of it is true.
I started my weekly literature class with my sixth graders and I was explaining what we would do in the class that day. And while I was explaining, one girl raised her hand. And once I was done with my explanation, I said, "Yes, X (for this is what we call her), I can see you have a question." "Yes," she replied, "I just wanted ta ask - how are you doing, miss?" Now, about this girl. I know a teacher ought to be objective and fair and I am. But there are still some personal likes and dislikes that are somewhere deep beneath the usual objectivity. And sometimes I find it difficult to be objective about this particular girl - because she is the absolute sunshine of that class, she is bubbly and happy and sharp and smart, and she is one of these rare girls who - even in grade six - has managed to maintain her child-like warmth and innocence in the sea of early teens' newfound arrogance. So there was something in her question that totally disarmed me. And I needed to make a decision about my answer within a fracture of a second.
And I decided to tell them. I hadn't planned it, my plan was to make these things known to them only in spring. But X with her sweet question threw me off a little bit, enough anyway to change my mind on the spot.
I said, "You know what, girls, I am actually doing really really well. In fact, I got engaged this past weekend." And I waved in front of them the golden piece of evidence I had on my finger.
The whole class erupted into cheers and clapping. The principal has her office just next door to the sixth graders and she must have thought we were doing weird things in our lit class. And we were. For the first time we were talking about my personal life. As soon as they had recovered a bit, a whole waterfall of questions was poured on me. Who is he? What does he do? What's his name? What language do you use with each other? I answered sparingly because they don't really need to know all this. And because I know how good they are at stalking on social media (for example, they know exactly what videos of mine are up on Youtube) and I had no itention to encourage them. But then I had to break the other part of the news, too. I said, "Well, good news often come together with sadder news. This will be my last year in this school. Because I will move away next summer." It didn't look like the penny dropped, I think they were too excited still about the first bit of the news.
But later that day I received a message from X. I hope she doesn't mind me putting the whole thing up here but it was just so touching and sweet. This is what she wrote [and bear in mind - she's 12!]. "Dear Mervi, congratulations on your engagement! I am so glad you have found your happiness! At the same time, I and the rest of the school will miss you very much. Over these two years, you have become my favourite teacher because you have managed to make everything we have studied so interesting. I really have become very fond of you. I know we still have 3/4 of the year ahead of us but still I almost started crying when I heard the news. Thank you for giving me the motivation to move forward and to make efforts - and not only in grammar and literature classes but also in other classes and in life in general. I hope you will have a wonderful life in Sweden! Congratulations and much joy to each day of your life in Sweden!" I was all teary-eyed when I read this.
I didn't know such things could even happen.
But then, later that evening I received another message. This time it was from X's mother. Now, working in a prestigious school means that there are also some, uhmmm, prestigious parents who occasionally tell teachers how and what they ought to do. So my blood pressure shoots up every time I see a message from a parent. But X's mother - whom I have never met in person - was all smiles and kindness. She congratulated me and said something about having heard much about me from her daugther. And then she described her phone call with X earlier that day. "She shared the happy news, then there was a moment of silence, and then she burts into sobs on the other end of the line." And the mother finished her message, "This is what kind of influence a teacher can have on children."
I was floored. Still am.
So much goodness and so many blessings are around me. I feel like swimming in the ocean of pure, undiluted goodness these days. There is a ring and a future and pupils who think I am cool and a man who is more than I ever dreamt of. How have I deserved all this?
