Sometimes the Past Catches Up with You...

... in the form of a former student you bump into at McDonald's. (What'd ya think I was going to say?)

So weird.

Today, I was having lunch at McDonald's (requested by the kids) with my friend M, 2 of her girls, and my 2. As we were getting ready to leave, I caught the eye of a woman reading a book to her baby girl. I noticed that she was staring at me (I was hold E, and that happens all the time), and I saw we had the same board book.

As M, the girls, and I were leaving, the woman walked towards us. Suddenly, I realized this "woman" was a former student, a girl I haven't seen since she was 17. It is so strange when someone who you remember as a teenager is suddenly an adult, with a job, two kids, and a husband. Really, though, this "girl" is only about 5 years younger than I am.

When this girl was in my class as a sophomore and junior, she kept a journal for extra credit. She'd write about all sorts of things, and I'd comment back to her. She was certain she was going to marry her boyfriend, and he'd become a politician. She would have made a great politician's wife, I always thought, although I didn't think she and the boyfriend were a good match.

Seeing her today, though, I'm glad her life's turned out differently than the way she'd dreamed it would be. For one thing, the boyfriend (a very smart kid when he was my student) is now in jail, along with his father, for ROBBING A BANK. Nothing like holding up a bank to strengthen the bond between father and son, right?

This girl was a student of mine during a time in which I hated everything about being a teacher. When I left that school for a new job, I thought I'd teach just another year and move on.

I was young, very insecure, and, to be honest, mistreated by the administration. Seeing that girl today reminds me of that very painful time in my life.

Was I the best teacher she could have had? No, but I worked hard, and I wasn't awful, although I believed myself to be at the time.

So, tonight, I'm thankful that I managed to rise above that painful part of my life and have some success in my career. I'm thankful that this former student of mine is happy in her life. And, I'm thankful to know that she made the effort to come over and talk to me when I didn't recognize her.

I guess that means I wasn't too horrible of a teacher then, right?