Remembering

Monday I talked to my 2nd graders about 9-11. This is the first year I have had kids who don't remember it. And, I am sure they have heard about it before - but maybe not. They looked at me like I was speaking crazy thoughts - how I wish I could have been. It made me think about the innocence of children and how quickly that changes. How quickly the sadness of the world tarnishes the perspective that everything is as it should be. I guess it was good for me. I had gotten to the point that I could talk about it to my classes without tearing up. Yesterday, I tried to read a book called "Brave Mole" to my class. It was a book I purchased after 9-11 that is an allergory about the terrorist attacks. The first year after I bought it, I couldn't read it - the librarian ended up reading it to my kids. I broke down while trying. I'm not embarrassed about that. I wish I had seen more of my teachers have feelings. I always shed a tear during Charlotte's Web. I cried with my kids when we watched the funerals for the Space Shuttle crew who's mission we had closely watched. I couldn't read Brave Mole yesterday. I had already tarnished their idea that all is right with the world - I didn't want to let them know that teachers cry yet. I will save it for Charlotte and Wilbur.