Dallas team and Wesley-Rankin kids back at it again with that after-school hype. Let me catch you up.
It’s a guarantee that I’ll trip over my own feet at least once a day. I’m not proud, but not exactly ashamed either. Today, I just happened to be running around a gymnasium with a kiddo on my back when it happened. (I fumbled an actual child. But, I mean there are worse things, right?) After we hit the ground we burst into unmanageable giggles. We couldn’t get off the ground we were laughing so hard. In that moment we were connected by if anything my unfortunate lack of coordination but mostly joy. It was an emotion that somehow brought our stories together in a meaningful way.
The same thing happened when my new friend and I were reading together. Okay, so maybe we did a little more laughing than reading, but hear me out. I was in the presence of a 3rd grade superstar. This guy was up against some supreme word opposition- I mean we’re talking about words like “parlor”, “generations”, and “permanently”.These words were fairly unfamiliar to him. As he was sounding them out, he’d throw sounds together until they fit just right to create the correct word. He wouldn’t stop until he got it, and let me tell you, he got it EVERY SINGLE TIME . There were a few times where we kept trying to pronounce a word together but we kept messing each other up. I’m not sure why, but man, we thought it was hilarious. We would just bust into belly-rumbling laughter until we gasped for air. Later on, my friend told me that neither of his parents speak very much English and when they do, it’s certainly not at home. I had to take a quick second to appreciate how bright this young boy was to be so fluent in two languages- especially when one wasn’t taught at home.
These were my two most favorite moments from today because they taught me so much. Laughter cuts across all barriers. It serves as a form of bond and encouragement. Kiddos need to be nourished not only with food for their bodies, but with joy for their mind and spirit. I hope to provide this encouragement for them, just as much as they have for me these past few days.