Professor Sharon

I had the pleasure of being an 8 year old’s adopted grandmother this morning.  My granddaughter, who attends a private school, has a best friend who attends the public school.  They met in the kindergarten year at the private school.  The best friend doesn’t have any local grandparents, and so I was honored to be asked to be her grandmother today for Grandparents Day.

I had a great time!  As a guest, we watched the K – 3 graders entertain us at an all school gathering, and then back in individual classrooms, we played games, did workbooks together, and enjoyed being served snack.  As there were some children without visitors, some of us shared our time — and I was adopted for an hour by another child!  I really enjoyed it.

And, yet, I guess because of my years in the field, I couldn’t help but observe the teachers, the school, the workbooks, and the children.  With my professional hat on, I saw lots I really liked, and some things that I wondered about the reasons the school chose to do it that way.

With my grandmother hat on, I was touched, deeply.  I realized that all we ever see and read in the media is the awful.  No media was here to cover the delightful and joyous.  I imagine that on this day in our country, there were many schools with the community’s children gathered, and many even with important adults in the audience, singing together, laughing together, and having more reasons for smiles than could be counted.  For a brief morning, folks could forget their bills, their doctor appointments, their achy joints, their math workbooks, and enjoy the company of human beings.

In those moments this morning, it hit me, once again, that I have become a member of a different slice of our community.  I am a grand parent.  I’ve been one for nearly eight years of course, but I don’t think I’ve ever gathered in community with so many others in the same role to feel joyous pride in the smallest members of our community – those who will replace us in all ways one day.

Thank you, Avi and Allie, for allowing me to be your Gramma Shannie.  I look forward to sharing more of my retirement hours with you!