Never Imagined

I’ve been putting off the inevitable for a few weeks.  I was suppose to go last night and completely forgot.  I remembered today.  Of course I would remember, today, I don’t feel well.  I’m sure it’s just allergies but that’s another story.

Today, I went to Wal-Mart.  I know, I know, I’ve been saying how much I hate that place.  Well, tonight was very different.  I drove up, not very many cars in the parking lot.  I walk in, same thing, not many people inside either.

I do my shopping, browse serveral aisles, and see many associates stocking shelves.  Everyone of them asked how I was doing, and if I needed help.

Finished with my shopping, I walked up to the checkout and didn’t have to wait but a few short minutes.  The cashier didn’t seem wore our, she smiled, and asked if I found everything ok.

I would have never imagined walking into a Wal-Mart and having this kind of experience.  Perhaps the new Super Target has offered the management new ideas on how to operate a store.

A Day In The Life

We all have our moments in time. Days in our lives we never forget, or want to forget. Each day also brings something meaningful, or we make some mistake and we learn from it.

This morning was no different. This morning I awoke and started my normal routine of getting ready for the day. It’s the usual wake up, get a shower, get dressed, turn the TV on to watch some news, etc… There was nothing out of the ordinary except the little earthquake that rattled some of us here in Middle Tennessee. I slept right through that.

After taking my little kids to school I started picking my middle school students. Two of the students that I have purposely separated asked if they could sit together and work on a school project. My response of course was no that that was why it’s called “home work” I thought to myself “it’s TCAP week, there shouldn’t be any projects going on” As they went to sent down one student said to the other “Don’t worry about it, he doesn’t care”

These kids were saying that I do not care. Do you know how upsetting this was for me? All I could think about was how special each one of these kids are to me. I let this build up to the point of tears.

Before I let them off the bus I started to ask for a show of hands of how many of them thought I did not care. I didn’t though. Instead, I told them about the comment and how one comment no matter how directly or indirectly it is said to someone, can hurt.

What I did want each one of them to know though, the fact that I’m just a bus driver isn’t the issue. I’m not a bus driver because I have to be. I am a bus driver because I want to be. Then I wished them a wonderful day.

Just as teachers and administrators are in those rolls for a reason, it takes a special person to do what we each do. There’s a poster hanging in the school that says “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” That is exactly how I felt.

It is amazing at how simple the day can start. Just as any other day, we do our routines, and then it just changes dramatically. In the end though, you realize, learn, and remember why you do what you do.