when I was a junior in high school, I tutored a little girl who was in elementary. she had a tumor in her brain, and was not able to participate in gym class... so instead, she met with me twice a week.
she was always a sweet girl. I enjoyed spending my afternoons after school with her. for having so much wrong with her, she always had such a great attitude. it gave me hope.
I never really knew how much I had impacted her life until a few years ago when I ran into her-- she was in junior high and was at rehearsal for the musical my mother was directing. we sat and talked and she told me all about her new life in a new school and how much she was enjoying it.
I was so proud of her.
two days ago, I saw her again. it was my mother's birthday, and I went to the high school where she teaches, to visit and have lunch. on my way out, Paige was in the office waiting to go home. when she saw me, she gave me the biggest hug I have ever received and told me how glad she was to see me. she told me all about her dog and how cute he is, and when she reached into her purse to get her cell phone (that really isn't attached to a plan) so that she could show me a picture... she didn't look in her purse-- she felt around with her hand. I noticed how she kept rubbing her right eye.
I wondered if she is going blind.
she walked me halfway out to my car, and stopped me at her mother's so I could see the dog her mom brought with her.
last night was the homecoming game. she saw me and latched onto me like there was no tomorrow.
she kept grabbing me and yanking me and asking me the same questions over and over... and I just let her.
I noticed that when she walked away to go use the restroom that she was having a hard time getting around, and then I remembered that back when I first started tutoring her, the doctors didn't expect her to live very long... but here we were, several years later... and she's still around.
she came back from the restroom a little upset-- she said some boy screamed at her to get out of his way and she didn't appreciate that. most kids her age would have been angry at him, but she simply said, "...but you know what? it doesn't matter. you just have to ignore people like that."
she smiled at me and gave me a huge hug.
I have never been more proud of her.
almost ten years ago, I lost my first best friend to a seizure disorder. right up to his death, his classmates made fun of him because of his disability-- because he was different.
the day they all learned he had passed away, they were repentant. they wanted to take the past few years back, and couldn't. I saw lives changed.
I sit here, heartbroken, tonight. I know Paige won't be around that much longer-- I can just tell her health is finally starting to decline. and I hate that so many kids she goes to school with make fun of her, because I know they're going to regret it.
but it brings me comfort and humbles me quite greatly to know that she is so much better than their words... that she forgives them as soon as they speak such evils.
I wish I had that kind of faith.
we can all learn a lot from even the smallest of voices.
My boyfriend died two years ago I remember being mad, mad at the people who were at the memorials who never liked him or who were rude to him. I just figured that were they there because they wanted something to talk about in school monday. It took me two years to and reading this to realize that they were feeling guilty. And maybe asking for forgivness. I feel bad knowing I was disgusted by those individuals now. They deserve my forgiveness.
Thanks for this post.
honestly, the day everyone found out my friend had passed away, I was disgusted by them, too. the school opened up the library for those who wanted to speak with someone about their grief, and of course, I couldn't make it through classes... so I spent my day there. all day, I saw nothing but these kids who were ruthless to him walking in and out and I hated every single one of them. I listened to their stories around the table. each one was the same.
each one was looking for forgiveness.
I knew he wouldn't be there to forgive them... but that if he were to hear them, he would forgive them. so I knew that I couldn't hate them, because they're just like the rest of us-- human.
I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend, but I'm glad that my blog was able to help you out, even in some small way.
Beautiful Story. 'nuff said in those two words.
It's amazing how the smallest, most insignificant-seeming individuals are the ones who impact our lives the most.
Young people have so much hope. It's so great to know that even as Paige grows older, she maintains her "child-like" view that life really is good. She's living it up like we all wish we could... and she's only got a few years or months to do it.
We should all start livin' it up. Thank you for this post! It's like Tomato Soup for my soul (which I prefer over Chicken Soup).
--
...Funny that you can look at my face, but you shied when I said the name of God. Mason Verger, Hannibal