A Letter to My Son’s Teacher

To My Son’s Teacher,

I wish I could turn away from the developing news out of Connecticut.  As I sit snuggled up to my own six year-old it all feels too personal.  I can only imagine the pain those mamas are feeling as they weep over empty beds with Hello Kitty sheets or accidentally set a cereal bowl for a little sleepyhead who will never again fill that chair at the kitchen table.  Our first response in such a tragic situation is to want to hide and protect our kids and ourselves from ever encountering that kind of pain.  And in the mist of all my thoughts about this tragedy, I keep thinking of you.

It would be easy to think we could avoid all risk to our children by just keeping them home.  But in our desire to shelter and protect them from the statistically unlikely possibility of harm at the hands of a disturbed stranger, we would be denying them the opportunity to know teachers with such commitment to their jobs and such bravery in their hearts it makes us weep to hear their stories.  The story of a troubled young man doing something unthinkable has been countered with inspiring stories of heroism by public school teachers.  These are amazing women who took to heart their responsibility to protect their students.  They hid children in closets and bathrooms and comforted them.  Wiped their tears.  And in some cases, gave their lives.  As mothers, we feel that weight of responsibility from the moment our children are placed in our arms, but I can’t imagine the weight of knowing 24 mothers are entrusting YOU with not just educational expectations, but also the safety of our children.  It takes a special kind of person to take on that responsibility with joy and a desire to help and love each of your students with their unique needs and gifts.  My son is so blessed to see your example of joy and enthusiasm and passion in your work and to know your strength and encouragement.

I know you don’t take this job lightly.  I know you didn’t take it on because you wanted the easy road.  In the same way, if we had wanted our lives to be pain-free we never would have brought children into our family.  We have been blessed to know so much joy because we have risked the pain and we take this lesson with us into our parenting.  Even if we could shelter our children from every possible ill- from violence, from bullying, from injury, from illness, from heartbreak- we know that may not be God’s plan for their lives.  I know in my own life the pain of infertility gave way to the beautiful joy of motherhood through adoption.  In the depths of pain I would never have pictured how God would choose to redeem that struggle and allow me to know true blessings.  I trust in a good God who uses ALL things for good, even those things too horrible to comprehend.  Dear God, let it never be harm to my child.  And if it is, let me find a way to see Your hand of comfort.

So I will continue to send my child to class in spite of my desire to shelter him because I know God has a plan for his life, too.  I see it in his love for his classmates.  His compassion for those who struggle.  His respect for you, his teacher.  The joy he is finding in learning to read and in working hard.  I can’t take his light and hide it away, burning just for me.  He is a light wherever he goes and his light will shine in places his mama can’t reach, to people I would never know.

Just like yours does.

Continue the good work you are doing to invest and protect and educate the lives in your class.  Don’t grow weary in doing good.  And know we are praying for you, that you would feel confident behind you is a God who loves these children more than you do and more than even we do as their parents.  Their angels always see His face.

Sincerely,

Josh’s Mom