Support

Yesterday was a difficult day for our school. The day before a body was found on our softball fields. That night we learned it was one of our own students.

I had several students visibly shaken up by the incident.

One girl in my 6th period class in particular. I knew she knew the victim. She came to class with sadness in her face. I didn't call on her. I didn't make her participate. I don't even think I said a word to her. I looked at her with an expression on my face that said, "I'm sorry for your loss." And when I walked through the classroom checking the others students' papers for correct answers I gently touched the back of her shoulder as if to say, "I'm sorry for your loss." We didn't speak.

She e-mailed me last night and said:

I wanted to thank you for being so nice , and caring and supportive to me today!!! i needed that!! she was my friend.. i still cant get over it and wont for a while i think ... thank you

I didn't even know I did anything. I guess it is just nice to realize that being supportive helped her through the day.

Entertained

My 15-year-old posted this on her status:

I just watched a dog chase its tail for ten minutes and thought, "Wow. Dogs are easily entertained..." Then I realized, I just watched a dog chase its tail for ten minutes...