March 8, 2011- A pocketful of kisses...

    Wow! What happened to the day...it blew by in a whirlwind.  Every time I sat down at my computer to try and accomplish something, I found myself being pulled away by someone or something more urgent, but it is good to be working. I enjoy the busy days. I feel I am accomplishing something, that I am needed.  Everyone likes to be needed now and again.  It’s good to contribute to the larger world, to the lives of those parents whose children we care for every day.  Being entrusted with the precious lives of little ones is a special privilege. 
     Tonight, as I tucked my seven year old into bed, he mentioned, totally out of the blue, that I hadn’t given him any kisses to put in his pocket lately, and this took me back a couple of years. During his preschool days, in the very same child development center where I now work, I used to drop him off at “school” in the morning or take him back to “school” after lunch together and read him a story on his nap mat, and when it was time for me to go back to work, I’d always end by giving him kisses to put in his pocket in case he missed me. The idea is that he could take them out whenever he needed to feel mommy near.  This became an especially precious thing for me when I moved out of the house and into my bachelor’s quarters and could not tuck him in at night or spend every evening with him due to my lack of a house he could reside in with me. 
     I hadn’t thought about this preschool tradition we’d had in a very long time, and I was surprised he remembered it.  He will be leaving in a few days with his dad to head to Alabama for eye surgery to remove his cataract, and he brought it up because he wanted us to start the tradition back since we would be away from each other.  So, it just goes to show that the little things we do as teachers, parents, coaches, and volunteers in the lives of children are remembered fondly and are treasured by those we share our interests and our love with.  You never know when you are touching the life of another, whether it be an adult acquaintance, co-worker, family member, friend, or child, so don’t hesitate to show love, give a compliment and a smile, or simply help someone out when they need it because it will be given back to you two fold in the future. It may be just another day to you, but to someone else, your kind word or helpful gesture may be like a pocketful of kisses from mom.