Recovery Matters

So, I had surgery right before Christmas.  It wasn’t a small thing. It was a big thing, although not life threatening unless you consider it was surgery.  It was the kind of operation that was so necessary I couldn’t wait.  Necessary.

And it made me think

About a lot of things.

It made me think about all the things I take for granted . . . like driving, working. E-Mail, sitting down and getting dressed. When you can’t perform these very basic life functions, you have to reevaluate.

What matters?

Two things I knew were sure:  My kids matter. My work matters.

These two! Took great care with mom

346 students show up most every day to learn, grow, become.  17 teachers show up ready to listen to, care for and teach their students.  Hundreds of parents and caregivers plan their days around drop-offs and pick-ups and homework and they show up.

So, even though I struggled to show up. I did.

Because it turns out showing up matters too.

So I showed up for all the big stuff, and then I went home. Because I had to.

Nothing suffered. Parents stepped up. Teachers stepped up. They’re accustomed to doing so. This school is no stranger to physical issues.  Perhaps no school is.

Gratefully I had three full weeks to recover.  And it’s amazing how quiet things are at a school across winter break. And yet workers arrive, teachers want to come in, e-mail never ends.

Still. I was legit in recovery and grateful that mostly it was quiet. So by the time the new year arrived and it was time to return, I was ready.  Ready to greet them – the parents, the teachers and most importantly the students.

The reason remains. We’re here for the kids. For today, but also for tomorrow. For all of our tomorrows. That’s why we show up, no matter what. Because THEY matter.