When I was growing up my mom would always tell me that I had a knack for reaching people. She would insist that I needed to be a nurse or something along the lines of helping others because I was compassionate and made people feel loved. I thought she was crazy!
I'm clearly not cut out for "blood" situations or trauma emergencies. No way could I do the nursing gig. However, loving people….I can do that and it does come naturally just like my mom said. I'm not sure what makes a person like that but I believe it has something to do with God.
Yesterday, I found myself in a different world than my normal routine. The first instance, I was called to escort an angry teen boy from his classroom to the cafetaria for his tray and back again to his classroom. It seems he was being punished for something and part of his consequence landed him eating lunch in the same classroom that he was confined to most of the day. He was furious! By the time I got to him for the green mile walk to the lunchroom, he was UPTIGHT! Since I didn't know the student, I introduced myself and began my charm of talking him from the ledge as best as I knew how. He was cooperative for the most part but he kept telling me that he was going to punch something or someone and he laced it with some pretty saucy curse words. No biggie. I just wanted to help him do what he needed to do to get through this little situation without either of us rolling around on the school floor cracking noggin's!
I prayed all the way down to the lunchroom.
One of his big requests was to speak with the Dean. The assistant had warned me that none of the administrators were available and that I just had to MAKE HIM do what he needed to do. Uhm, okay….not part of my normal routine but I'll do my best. As soon as we walked through the lunch line there in my line of sight was the dean he was convinced he needed to see. The Dean invited him over to his table and the two sat together and had their lunch. Later in the day, the dean thanked me for handling the situation as calmly as I did and for helping out in a sticky situation. Whew, was all I could think! I really didn't know what to do with the fella, I was simply being me doing what I do. Adapt.
Around 2:00 I was called to cover in another class across the hall from my room, the severely mentally handicaped class. While I do work in Special Ed, I am not normally with the lowest ability students in our school but I see them and high-five or hug them often. They are genuinely amazing kids. Each one of them so very unique and special. I was a little nervous at first because many of them have medical issues that I'm unaware of and I NEVER want to make a booboo mistake with somebody's kid. So, I tried to blend in and if you know anything about mentally impaired people….change in their lives pretty much screams NEW SITUATION here!! As soon as I walked in they noticed, new lady. Let's investigate!
I was trying to play it cool and totally act like I did this sort of helping all the time but that's a bunch of hooey….I stuck out like a sore thumb! The noises, the habits and the busyness of the room kept me mesmerized. I sort of felt like I was just riding along on a ride at the fair and that all the sights were being displayed just for me. Each of them had their own quirks. A couple were working very methodically on stringing beads for bracelets, another listening to Whitesnake on his iPad (no joke!), a very anxious boy paced around waiting for his turn in the restroom while a sweet boy close to me just smiled and smiled the biggest grin. One of the girls in the room needed my help getting into her locker. She showed me which one was hers and when I swooped down low to open it, she grabbed my ponytail. It didn't hurt but it startled me. So, I turned to look at her and she smiled real big and hugged herself like nothing had happened. I went back to opening the locker and this time she grabbed and touched all over my hair. There was no denying it now….she needed to check me out. When I looked at her again, she squealed with delight. I had to smile too because I understand the need she had. I was brand new to her and inspecting me thoroughly was her way of finding out what she needed to know. What did I feel like? Who am I?
I was, for just a brief moment transported to a new place. A place that I don't visit often enough. I call it OUTSIDE OF MYSELF. I live in this perfect little world and I make everything around me just like I want it and I miss out when I don't step out and experience something a little different. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God orchestrated my day. He planned every little situation with me in mind and I'm blessed because I wouldn't have walked down the hall holding hands with Alicia or had my ponytail pulled by Tara or watched as Zach played "opposites" with his aide who was trying to get him to do what he was supposed to do in order to go home.
I would have missed it all.
Thank you, God!
