Saturday, December 13, 2014

Upper Six 2014: "You have been that someone"

Yet again, I've been absent for far too long. The term and the year have ended. Goodbyes have been said to students stepping out and away into the world that is not high school. This year's goodbyes were particularly hard.

You have been that someone

Dear student
Last year, I said
“This doesn’t happen with everyone”
to some of you.

Every now and then
you meet someone,
and this weird thing happens.

You have been that someone.

This year, it’s been hard to write,
hard to think about this moment,
because
You have been that someone.

How to put into words that weird thing?

Let me try.

I have watched you
grow, through so much,
pushed and pulled, by so much,
and so many.

I have seen you
fall and get up
shout and cry
sing and dance
break rules and fall into line
be so hard and so kind.

You have
inspired me
with
your courage and perseverance
in the face of so much hurt
your kindness and compassion
in the midst of your own battles
your enduring passion and ability
to sing in the storms.

I have been
inspired by your strength
moved by your song
challenged by your honesty.

It has not always been pretty
It has not always been fun
It has not always been easy

But I would do it all again.
Yup, even those times.
I would do them all again.

I’m so proud of you.
I’m so grateful to have walked
part of your journey with you.
I’m so privileged to have listened
to your fears and jokes and joys.
Every real conversation has been an
Honour
held deep in my heart.

May you find, dear student,
places you can breathe and flourish in,
people you can love who will love you,
things you can do that will give you joy
and make you come alive.

If you find yourself
in places you can’t
with people who won’t
doing things that don’t:
Get out. Leave. And Stop.
You deserve
so much more.

So, dear student,
Go,
with all my blessings
of joy
and peace.

May you find truth.
May you never lose the light
Or the song.

If you do,
come back.
I’ll remind you

Because you are that someone.

Miss Bell, October 2014

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