Tonight I worked football game concessions. I haven't done this in...at least three years. I love concession stand soft pretzels, and hanging out with my favorite co-workers, doing math quickly in my head (keeps me sharp), and helping five-year-olds dig for the blue Air Heads.
But my most favorite part is seeing former students.
Middle school games are played at the high school, and the high school kids tend to stick around after practices to watch their "alma mater" and see younger friends. But really, I think they just want to see their old teachers.
It's so cool to see them a foot taller, voice an octave deeper, and just...grown! You hug them (often times awkward one-arm side hugs), and you ask the three standard questions:
- How are you?
- How do you like the high school?
- How are your grades?
And then you delve a little deeper, find out how their family is, how they're doing in sports, and what their future plans are.
They often say silly things like, "I got an A in French!" or "I really miss your class!" and you wonder if maybe they're telling the truth. And then you don't really care if they are or not.
And as they walk away, you say to yourself, "Gosh, it's good to see so-and-so doing so well." Even if they were your least favorite student in the whole world, it warms your heart to see they've grown up.
Or maybe it just warms your heart that you don't see them on a daily basis anymore...
...regardless, your heart is warm.
And tonight, that filled me with joy.
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