Spring.

This weekend I experienced one of my most favorite joys as a New York City resident; the long, awaited return of the outdoor table. On Friday afternoon, I walked home from my Physique fifty-seven(uhhh) class in just shorts and a t-shirt. On my walk home, I saw tables and chairs outside of restaurants, lining the streets once more. There is less room on the sidewalks to walk, but I'll take this any day. I am thrilled to put the winter behind me. Good riddance winter. I never liked you much anyways.

While enjoying the spring air, I went for a run with my BGbabe. As we talked and ran, I told my Becca a quote that I had heard from a different Becky in my life. My other Becky quoted something that Albert Einstein had once said. (We are getting wise in our old age). A quote so fitting for me, that it's almost frightening. The quote is this: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome."
Oh my. I do this in almost all aspects of my life. According to Einstein, I am most definitely insane. And, so I wonder. How many of you are too?

On Friday, I had one of those days at school where I felt truly lucky to work where I do. Unfortunately, these feelings are not always first and foremost on my mind when I wake up at six-thirty am on some idle weekday morning. But, I'm working on it.

I am surrounded by an energetic, entertaining group of children, each weekday for six and a half hours each day. Every Friday we have extra "yard" time. This means that the kids have an extra half hour of designated time to play outside. It was a gorgeous morning. Watching the kids run around the playground, I took my ipod out. I pulled my headphones off, and used the ipod as my own miniature boombox. The first note of Ke$ha's, We R Who We R boomed, and the girls in my class came running. We listened to Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and The Black Eyed Peas. As the girls sang along with my music, I smiled. They were so adorable, and so normal, singing and dancing to music. In that moment, I didn't feel like their teacher. I felt like their cool aunt. And, well. We r who we r? Right?

Later that day as math class was ending, I wished everyone a good weekend as I dismissed the class. Most of my students bounded for the door. A couple of them high fived me on their way out. But, Jon my one second grade student that I teach in math, slipped his arm around my waist, and hugged his body towards mine. He is tiny, and his head comes up just slightly past my belly button. It was a gesture, so spontaneous, and so genuine that it made me remember why I like kids in the first place. They mean well, they really do.

And, more importantly; they say what they mean, and they say how they feel. It's simple. If they like you, they will let you know it. If they don't, well you will probably know that too. But, there is no confusion, and no gray area. It is what it is. And that is, is understood by everyone. It is a refreshing change of pace.

Sometimes, all of the political, financial, and crappy stuff that comes along with teaching as a profession, makes forgetting all of the positive aspects of this job a little bit easier. And, more than just having a summer vacation, or ending your day end at three pm, it can almost be easy to forget the real perk of this job. And, that is this: You are actually making a positive difference in someone's life. And, if you're lucky--you'll make more than just one. It's a feeling so good, and so real, that it almost...makes me forget that according to Albert Einstein, I may actually be insane...