Mrs. Z
It arrives a day or two before Christmas, for as long as I can remember. Addressed to both, Daughters’ 2nd grade teacher, yep, you heard me right, their 2nd GRADE TEACHER, fills her holiday card with family news, and genuinely wonders about the lives of these girls she knew, way back when. Deemed favorite somewhere down the line, this beautiful soul assured she would stay in touch with her two, wide-eyed students and I smile when I realize the sincerity of this promise, kept.
& just to grasp the awesomeness (aka to avoid doing the math) of this year after year after years-long vow, I searched and found a tattered, I’ll leave it until I have more space, scrapbook and hmmm, 2nd grade, 2nd grade … 1996 …
WoW
Have I saved Mrs Z’s many correspondences ?? her valued perspective of what’s happening throughout ?? Probably. The Hallmark hoarder in me wouldn’t dare throw these lovelies away. I sometimes wonder if Mrs. Z keeps too, for to glimpse within her box of McAvoy penmanship … 3rd grade, 4th, 7th, 12th … would be deemed ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS in my book.
Truth be told, as much as these adult women love Mrs. Z’s annual glee, and have no problem filling their reply with what’s going on in their world, updates, every year, and I doooooo mean, EVERY. YEAR. the battle of I ADDRESSED THE CARD LAST YEAR will commence, like pristine clockwork & it’s embarrassing to admit, it took until …
uh-huh. We’re finally prepared for the inevitable.
YaY.
Little do you know, Mrs. Z, the joy that fills my heart when I recognize your handwriting among the cards in my mailbox. Thanks for being so loyal, so steadfast, so wonderful at doing what you do. Your gift of words is a perfect example of how incredibly simple it is to be kind.
Lesson learned. Lesson treasured.
♥
Merry Christmas, Mrs. Z.
🙂