Outside of being a doctor, nurse, EMT, or holding any sort of position in the medical field right now, TEACHERS have it the hardest during a pandemic.

I mean for just a second, imagine that you are a human being who loves education and children and educating children.

So much so that you’ve made it your life’s work to work tirelessly in a career field and role where no matter how many years you put in or how hard you work you’re never paid what you’re worth nor treated like your valued at even half that.

And yet you are expected to show up to your campus and classroom with

the energy of a Duracell battery,

the patience of a saint,

the knowledge of a sage,

the compassion of a natural empath,

the organization of Marie Kondo,

and unwavering joy

that you, AND ONLY YOU, get to be

this adult,

in this classroom,

with this unique class,

and with each and every life-loving, knowledge-seeking, teacher-needing student that makes it up.

But now you’ve got to do all that DURING AN UNRELENTING AND WORSENING PANDEMIC,

and from a distance,

with a mask on,

and only after you’ve washed your hands a million times,

made sure desks are adequately (and accurately) spaced out,

that your lessons all take account for such

and that you’ve washed from your

fear-filled,

anxious

and tired mind

the thought of

“how can I do this again today?”

Because one look into the

unbroken,
hopeful
and excited eyes of the big or little kids you teach
tells you all you need to know about ‘how.’

That “How?” then becomes an “I’ve got to…and I will.”

Because those mini-humans need you and when they,

scared too,

push forward and take each minute of their day

as it comes

and with baby steps towards you and in turn, their transformation...

which you enable...

which you

encourage,

prompt

and are to thank for,

there’s nowhere to go — well, nowhere you’d rather go, than forward with them.

(Okay…and maybe to the wine store. )

Speaking of thanks, teachers never get enough.

If you know a teacher who has or is teaching through this pandemic, reach out to them. Send your child in with a treat for them. Handwrite them a note of genuine appreciation. 

Find a way to express your unwavering gratitude towards them for taking in your child each day and handling them with the kind of extreme love and care all of us need right now.

Pretend I'm your teacher and that is your assignment. Now ace it.