Where You Come from Isn't Always Home

My students have been writing personal narratives for the last week. Guest teacher, Shelley Moon, a woman who knows how to crack open the most difficult coconut, instructed students to go to whatever story they were having the most feelings around needing to write. I don't want to get into specifics about any of the narratives, besides to say that while they ran the gamut from sweet, funny, tender, sad, and angry, way too many of the stories revealed the catastrophic damage done in children's lives by adults...unimaginable pain delivered by those who should be most trusted.

The song "Take Me Back" has been humming through my heart all week.

"Where you arrive can be home 

Where you come from isn't always home"
-Siouxsie and the Banshees

Listen to the song here: http://mysp.ac/ifd1Gb

There were a lot of tears in the classroom, and even more compassion and empowerment as kids told their stories.

The lesson I hope they learn as they grow is that

"It's so easy to laugh
It's so easy to hate
It takes strength to be gentle and kind"

 I am thankful each day that I have a job that reminds me to give my strength to love.