I was in grade nine. My parents were leaving for a two week golfing holiday with a group of friends and I could not wait! One of my older brothers was passing through town and had volunteered to stay with my 18 year old sister and I. This couple of weeks were going to be EPIC! I saw the life of decadence ahead – late nights, movie rentals from Blockbuster, junk food to beat the band. This was going to be my time to really live, at least by the standards of a 14 year old boy.
The night before they left, my stomach became very unsettled. At first my parents ignored me, thinking it was simply nerves at them leaving. By the morning I was throwing up regularly and, after seeing my doctor, was rushed to the hospital to have my appendix removed. It ruptured on the way there. I was rushed into the operating room and the doctors worked their magic – I woke in the afternoon, groggy, sore and one organ short of my former self.
My parents kissed their youngest on the head, told me how much they loved me and went on their vacation leaving me to recover in the hospital. Alas, the fate of the youngest child in a family of 8!
I do not tell you this story to bathe in your sympathy. In fact, I wear this story as a badge of growing up in a big family. These were just the way things happened.
While my mother and father were enjoying the beautiful fairways of Palm Springs, it was left to two of my older brothers and my closest sister to visit and care for me. They dropped by every day, even though I was in the General Hospital in downtown Edmonton. They brought books galore – this really kicked started my love of reading. They played cribbage with me and knowing that I was unable to eat due to them draining my stomach and letting the stitches heal, they promised me wonderful meals when I got out. I remember these moments with great love as I felt part of something bigger than me – I felt the love of family deeply. I look back on those days often – we don’t forget the times people take care of us when we are down.
Never in my lifetime has there been a more important time to be a helper than now. COVID-19 has really turned this world upside down. The virus has had some serious impact simply as a virus but there are a whole lot of issues that have been exacerbated simply by the presence of this disease. Kids who struggle with difficult home lives have not had the safety of their schools for six months. Children who counted on schools for meals are going a little more hungry. Children are anxious with the thought that they could be a virus carrier who could put their grandparents in danger. There are a lot of issues in schools right now.
And teachers are the first responders. This is a monumental time for teachers to do exactly what they got into the profession for, to help define the society of tomorrow. These fragile students coming back to our schools are coming to the loving support of the school. Everyone from the custodians to the teachers from the support staff to the principals will be looking out for them. I’ve never been so proud to be part of this wonderful profession. Even with all the noise around reentry, I know perfectly well that school staffs will answer the call and be their for kids – they’ll love them up! It’s what we do.
So I say to you, take care of yourselves, you’re doing God’s work. You will not be forgotten.
Keep safe – stay healthy – you matter!
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