Time Sucker

My very first teaching job after college was at a little private school in Columbus, GA called Calvary Christian School. It had about 100 kids in the High School, and I would say about 300 kids in K-12. It was the best experience I have had since I entered the workforce at the tender age of 16 (I washed dishes in a nursing home - I could tell you some stories, let me tell you.) Since that nursing home stent, I have been a waitress at two restaurants, a deli counter worker at Dillons, a food service worker in the dorms at K-State (I got up every morning at 6:15, for my 6:45 am shift), a nanny, and an admissions specialist at a hospital, all before landing my first teaching job at aforementioned school.

I had a great experience at CCS. I taught art classes for 5th through 12th grades and was able to coach two seasons of high school volleyball. It was a time of tremendous growth in my life, both spiritually and emotionally. I had just moved 1000 miles away from my parents to be with my husband who was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA for the Army. It was a rocky time in our marriage (who doesn't have those?), but it was a great time for growing.

I was immersed in a Christian Worldview EVERYDAY. It was a tremendous opportunity for me to reconnect and bask in God. And I loved it.

The kids I taught were, for the most part, awesome and I felt like I connected with many of them. Of course, I've read that you tend to remember the best of times. Like I try not to recall the time I almost set the Middle School gym on fire using the kiln. Or all the time I spent away from my husband during that time, feeling sooooo alone. Or the slight depression I went through because of it. But for the most part, those 3 1/2 short years I spent in Columbus, GA are very dear to my heart.

I occasionally spend time thinking about all those students I had and how much potential they had and wondering "where are they now."

And then I discovered Facebook. It is my current Time Sucker. I can spend hours on that thing, mostly trying to figure out how to use it, but also going through lists and lists of potential "friends". I have, just within the last couple of days, reconnected with some former students. One is in Medical School and engaged. A couple are married. Some are in college. All are doing well. I resisted this at first, but I am enjoying finding out where everybody is and looking forward to finding out where they go. It feels good to know you helped shape someones life, even if it was just for a very minuscule amount of time.