School's Out

Today was the last day of school for the chicken wings.  Because I teach on a military base, there is a constant ebb and flow of kids.  I could write a book on how much I admire the children and families and people who serve our country, but that's for another day.  Seriously though, they sacrifice like you would not believe and I had no clue, none at all, until I was around that life every day.  Anyway, today I said goodbye to the chicken wings I have had under my care for the past year and many of them I won't see again.  They are leaving.  Moving once more.  And next fall there will be a whole new flow into our school. 

Can I tell you that it rips my heart out to hug those little shoulders and see their tears and hear them say, "I'll miss you more."  Rips.my.heart.out.  Because I won't get to see them go to middle school and I won't get to read their names in the paper when they play sports in high school and I won't get to know that in the graduating class are a handful of kids I taught fourth grade.  No, teaching on a military base takes that follow through away.  But it provides so much more than it takes so I keep staying there.   

It provides me with "seeing" the world through my students eyes as they have literally lived all around this world of ours and it allows me to witness the most accepting children as they know all too well what it feels like to be different and what it feels like to be the "new kid."  They grab new people and wrap them up quickly in deep friendships because they know their time together is fleeting.  And what amazes me the most is that they aren't afraid to love their friends, knowing they will be separated and hurt at the end.  Which makes me think of myself and my struggles with letting people in.  I can learn a lot from my students in that area.  They simply dive in. 

So today was the last day for this year's chicken wings and it was bittersweet like it always is.  Watching those feet walk down the hallway knowing I won't see them walk back towards us next year is rough, but understanding they are moving on to their next big adventure with an open mind and heart is inspiring.