May

Here are the top ten things I love about the month of May:
1.  The beautiful weather
2.  The end of school
3.  The sound of birds singing when I wake up
4.  The chairs I put out so I can hang out in my yard
5.  The way my lawn looks right after I cut it
6.  The chance to think about how to get it right next year
     (for some reason it always works better in my head:))
7.  The neighbors, outside too,  are all friendlier
8.  The chance to watch my grandson score his first goal
9.  The motivation to get out to walk consistently
10. The delight felt when the snow shacks open!

Funerals

The best thing about funerals is that they cause you to reflect and realize what is truly important and what is trivial and distracting.  Last weekend I attended the graveside service for my niece's baby, who did not survive his emergency C-section delivery.  Carter was perfect - almost 9 pounds with thick auburn hair.  His heart just inexplicably stopped.  Watching these two brand new parents tucking their sweet baby in for the first and last time was heartbreaking.  But seeing the love and support from their friends and family, letting words and impressions of comfort wash over them, and hearing beautiful music helped me focus on how important our relationships are.  They sustain us and bring us hope and joy.

We released a flock of white balloons from the cemetery to join the two red ones released by his parents and watched them dance and float toward the blue sky opening in the gray clouds.  Nothing else was important in that moment.  Just watching the colors get smaller and smaller.  The symbolism of the sun breaking through the rain.  Watching Lorianne and Cameron cling to each other, uniting unspeakable grief with incomprehensible hope.  We need each other.  We don't need much of anything else.

Facebook

The best thing about Facebook is that I can keep track of people I care about but won't necessarily ever see again in real life.  As a teacher, I recognize that it is a bad idea to make "friends" of current students, but I always get a glut of friend requests after graduation.  I accept them all, but I warn kids that I will hide them if they are boring (or offensive, or prone to post ten times a day, or whatever).  Sometimes I think kids underestimate how much I care about them as people and maybe overestimate how much they will care or remember about me and their other teachers after they move into "real life".  Amazingly, even this fairly recent technology is becoming old-fashioned, as most of the most current crop prefer Twitter and Instagram to keep connected.  I will never be able to keep up.

A few recent examples to illustrate what I am talking about.  One of my art history students from last year saw a music video that reminded her of our class.  She sent the link to me via Facebook.  It made me laugh, but also reminded me of that great class and that great student.  It reminded me that they do occasionally remember some of what I try to teach them.  She sent it the same day my current class was taking their exam.  These moments remind me why I love teaching.

Another example is hearing about the lives my students build, whether it be jobs or college.  I've been keeping track of a former editor in chief for the school newspaper I advise.  Emily majored in Journalism at Utah State and did work for KSL, first as an intern and then as a free-lance videographer.  She would post links to her stories from time to time. She just graduated and got a job at a TV station in Charleston, South Carolina.  I sent her a message through Facebook and invited her to speak to my current students before she left.  She graciously accepted and gave up some precious time to "pay it forward".  If you want to see a sample of her work, click here.

The last example, made more evident this year with the change in age requirement for LDS missionaries, is hearing about missions, humanitarian trips, and the riskiest journey of them all, marriages. I love checking Facebook late on Wednesday night to see who got mission calls and where they are going.  I love seeing pictures of engagement rings and blushing brides.  And I love seeing pictures of my former students in a foreign country surrounded by smiling children who are learning English or having other needs met.

So....you may not know I'm keeping track because I rarely comment, I only occasionally "like" your status, and I will probably not wish you Happy Birthday, but I do care and love tracking your travels, travails, and triumphs!