Livin' in a Big City

I was reminded this week about an incident that happened a couple of years ago that I still giggle at when I think about it. After we had been living in Montrose a couple of years and I had made the transition from grocery shopping at Randall's to Kroger's (which is cheaper anyway and Harbor church gets a 'kick-back' from all who use a sharecard there, but old habits are hard to break!)they finally built a 'downtown' Randall's only a few blocks from my house. Being eager to check it out, Amanda and I made it an event and went shopping there together for the first time! There were some really cool things - and not so cool things - about it.

Cool things: The underground garage parking that you could ride an elevator on and end up right inside the store (not a big deal in department stores, but a new experience for me in a grocery store). The smaller grocery carts(because the aisles were smaller)for those that, we had figured, may live nearby in their downtown lofts who would walk to the store and would not get more than they could carry home.

Not so cool things: The carts were small enough for the aisles but too small for all the groceries I am always buying, so we had to use 2 carts. No 'in-store' banking - my bank has branches in the area Randall's which this one, being too small, I guess, didn't have.

On with the story that leads up to the REAL story.

When Amanda and I finished shopping, we got on the elevator with our 2 carts to go down to our car. Two other people got on also with carts. I commented about how it was a good thing the elevator was big enough for people and carts and how it had reminded us of the small carts in small grocery stores in movies of NYC. The young lady who seemed to be in her mid-20's responded, "Yeah, it makes you feel like you are in a Big City, doesn't it?" Amanda and I glanced at each other and held back our giggles until we got to the car. Did the girl not realize she WAS in a Big City - the 4th largest in the US? I guess sometimes one may forget where one REALLY live.

If you are still reading, you are probably wondering why I thought about this last week. I rarely go to that Randall's so it wasn't because I had resently been there (although I HAD recently been there because Karsten had told me about chicken (boneless, skinless) for $1.59/lb. - oops! There I go - off chasing another rabbit!).

My school has been threatening to start on our new building that was approved 3 years ago. Not wanting to do anything very expensive that would be torn down in a matter of months, they had not replaced our playground equipment that was as old and rotten as the building itself. So my kindergartners only have a big sandbox and two park benches that remain for their recess time. Back in the fall, I had purchased lots of sand toys for them to use along with hula-hoops and jumpropes. But I don't really like the sand - the kids throw it - sometimes on purpose, but often accidently when digging - and it gets in hair and eyes. And then there is the threat of ringworm! Not to mention, it is a 'sitting down activity' and not a 'running off excess energy' activity.

Our other option is the big,fenced-in basketball courts that has lots of playing and running room, but that's about all. When we play out there it feels like we live in a Big City with not enough grassy space to run and play in (which we DO have, but nothing else). It looks like the playyards you see on top of buildings or right next to them at schools in NYC. (Are you making the connection of the 2 stories yet? I knew you would! Hang with me...there's more!)Another little side note: I kept thinking they would build us SOMETHING since our principal had requested it multiple times, he said. But I had finally given up on that hope! So.....

Last Saturday, Lou and I went to Wal-mart and I had a blast filling up my buggie with cheap basketballs, soccer balls, frisbees, sidewalk chalk, and jumpropes. When I took the stuff to school on Monday, you would have thought Santa Claus had come again. Those kids were so excited! It was so much fun seeing them running around like crazy with enough toys that every kid had something to play with and it didn't involve sand!

So what's the point of these 2 stories? Here I am teaching kids in the inner-city of the 4th largest city in the US and I sometimes forget that! I sometimes get lost in the day to day teaching and trying to reach the goals that my school and district have set up for me that I forget these kids need more than someone pushing them to be successful in school. They need someone who can bring joy and excitement in their little lives that makes them WANT to be successful in life, especially when all the circumstances say they won't succeed. I have renewed my committment to show as much of life and joy as I can to these little treasures that are in my watch for a short time. I am reminded that they are "whole people" not just academic machines that need to learn how to read. They have enough stress and frustrations (homework done by candlelight because the electricity bill wasn't paid or Mom's in jail so she can't sign the report card) in their little lives without me adding to it!

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Epilogue: Would you believe my penny-pitching school district that won't put in new playground equipment, just put in a brand-new air conditioner in a room that is NOT being used this year in the building that will be the first to be torn down (probably this April!)? Just doesn't make sense...not to me at least!