Last year, I had a ten year old boy with many challenges and a gift and passion for soccer. Every time he had a game (about twice a week) he would ask me if I could please come watch him play. Every time I told him I was too busy. His face would fall a little then he would say, "That's O.K. Ms. Ky I know you believe in me, maybe you will be able to come next time." 

This year, he is no longer my student, but on the first day of school he came to find me, hug me, and tell me to have a great day. Then he invited me to his soccer game. The next day, he found me again and invited me again to the game. Yesterday he found me again and invited me again. This morning, I received this e-mail:

Dear mrs. Ky our soccer game is at burbank on field 8A. Hope you get to come if not have a wonderful weekend.

So I got up, slathered on sunscreen, drove across town, and stepped out into the 95 degree, humid, heat. Before I could get all the way out of my car, he saw me and came flying out of the goal and across the field to give me a huge hug. With an enormous smile he said "MS. KY YOU MADE IT" My heart was filled with joy just watching him play. Last year, I was so worn out, weighed down and every weekend was filled with endless parent phone calls, e-mails and never-ending lesson plans. I was teetering on the edge of burnout. This year, I decided to stop spending my time on the endless work and instead to focus on the things that matter!