In the shadow of yesterday’s tragedy, perhaps one of the best places to be is in a preschool, among the children.  They don’t know hate.  They don’t know mean.  They don’t know cruelty.  They are sheltered as best we can from the reality of our messed up world.  The mindful presence of the here and now grounds all of us in beauty, wonder, and innocence.  Grateful am I to have such a job as this.

In the next few days, we follow the calendar and part ways.  Some for a very long time; some for just a moment.  Forever we will share the time we spent together; the smiles and the tears; the hellos and the goodbyes.  The separations and the reunions.

I held some of these children just days after they were born.  They will not remember me.  But they will remember the kindness;  the warmth of this school.  They will always know that they started in a place where mommy and daddy got to play, too. And I will never forget them.  Or you.