Sometimes the situations that students are in make me feel helpless. Absolutely helpless. And I don't like feeling helpless.
As I recounted the awful tale, my husband listened. I appreciate how my husband has learned how to listen... to really listen. His understanding helped me feel empowered even if it is was just for a moment.
After I quit talking, we went to the local art center so that I could drop off two pictures that I'm entering into an art contest. The lady volunteering at the desk is a former teacher of mine and my parent's neighbor. When she said she didn't know I was an artist, I quickly told her I wasn't. That I just messed around with photography.
We got back in the truck to head out to a friend's house where we'd been invited for dinner. I told my husband how I felt like such a fraud dropping off work at the art center. Who am I kidding? I'm just pretending to be an artist.
Again, my husband understood and listened. He didn't try to change my mind or tell me how to fix something. There is such healing in just being heard.
That was when I knew that while I can't fix the situation for some of my students, I can listen. I can understand. And I hope that can be enough to empower them.
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