The Journey Inward

Each time my gaze swept the gym,
I caught her watching me, staring even,
And finally she showed me a shy smile,
Which I returned with a big one,
Not sure who she was,
Or why she kept looking my way.

A few weeks later, she was there again,
And again she watched, and smiled when our eyes met,
But this time she came over to me,
And asked very quietly, "Did you teach at _____ School?"
"Yes," I replied, sensing where this might be going,
"Did you teach third grade?"
"Yes, I did,"
"Is your name Mrs. _____?"
"It sure is!"
"I'm _____," she said meekly,
And suddenly a tiny girl appeared in the recesses of my mind,
Pushing to the forefront now,
Teeny tiny, dark bob haircut, dark, dark eyes,
"Of course I remember you!" I exclaimed, and shared some memories.
"I knew it was you!" she said,
"You haven't changed at all!
I remember your smile!"
My heart melted as we caught up,
On her college, studies,
And even that her roommate was a girl from our class.

I saw that young girl again tonight,
Graduated and working in the medical field now,
So grown up, so poised, so gorgeous, so different in her approach,
As she walked right up to me and greeted me warmly, caught me up on all her news.
"You haven't changed at all," she said, 
Though it's been 13 years since she was my student,
"I could never forget your smile and your energy!  
It's exactly the same."

And that is why I teach.  That is how I contribute.  She is who I work for.