First Day Back

It was a wonderful day back to work and worth every day I took off to get better. Everyone has been supportive and kind to me from my boss, to the teachers, to the parents, and even the students. My boss suggested that I begin by working the first day back with the woman who has been substituting for me while I was away. It was fun to tag teach with her.

I discovered that my substitute was the student teacher of a dear colleague friend of mine who has the classroom next door to mine. My teacher friend is likely my favorite teacher at our school. From the day I met her, I’ve felt a kinship with her. We have children similar to the same age, we both enjoy teaching primary grade levels, and we both adore teaching and especially teaching children to read.

My first day back was filled with supportive people and I was welcomed back with aplomb. My closest friend brought me a bouquet of sunflowers. I bumped into my boss at Peet's just like nothing had ever changed. When I walked out of the coffee shop, I said, "I was hoping I'd bump into you here." He smiled as if to say... Me too.

The parents of at least ten students in my class made it a point to introduce themselves to me, and some even went further to tell me how happy they were to have me as their child’s teacher. Smiles were everywhere. It was heartwarming, and without even trying, the confidence I was longing to feel was present and thriving. Even the substitute said that she enjoyed watching me teach, and she was learning from watching me with my obvious experience.

I won. I didn’t let the attack beat me. I worked my butt off to get better. I got better, and I came back stronger than ever. I feel like I have become a better person, a better friend, a better family member, and a better teacher. I will never be able to state that what happened was a blessing, because I lost a lot that day. But I’ve made the best of the worst situation I’ve ever experienced. In the end, I won.