Body
Each morning, my little class gathers on our rug. I look at the individual faces waiting with anticipation as I ask the same question I have asked every student for years, “How are you today?” We talk about listening to one another as he/she replies. We don’t interrupt as our friend gives their answer. I explain when we talk when someone else is talking we are showing we don’t care about them. And we do care for one another. We are a school family. We just listen. At the beginning of the year, the answers are usually quick words, “good” or “okay” as they ponder this question. But as days go on and trust in one another is built in this little four-year old classroom, the answers become expressive and sometimes make me take a breath as I mentally add another request to my prayer list. A little girl says, “My granny’s tummy hurts real bad.” Another, “I am sad because my grandma died. She is in heaven with God and I miss her.” Some reply with a finger point to a bruise or sore. As my eye wanders around the room, I see others begin the search of legs or arms, turning them until a scratch or bump can be located. Slowly, I lead them to describe their injury, to use words instead of pointing. Answers become lengthy and sometimes quite exaggerated, “and I bleeded and bleeded and bleeded!”
