Tag Archives: Generations

Treasure in the Mailbox

It’s been hard for this volunteer to be away from the 11- and 12-year-olds at school since March.  We teach each other and we learn from each other.  Plus kids often bounce through life.  We adults could use more of that bounce.

A few weeks ago, I got to see my young friends on Google Meet.  That was cool.  All those masked faces talking about their exploits.  “We did (this)!  We did (that)!”  Since then, radio silence from them and me.

However (!) today there was a letter amid all the bills and ads.  It was from “The Grade Six Class”.  My heart soared, and I skipped into the house.  Notices can wait.  I tore open the envelope of what’s really important.  Here are a few gems:

Bonjour, Mr. Kerr.  How are you right now, hopefully doing great.  Make sure to keep exercising and maybe I’ll see you around again.  P.S. Sorry for the hole in the page, I was trying to erase.

Hey, Mr. Kerr.  I hope you are staying safe!  I wish you were here but if the pandemic is over soon the whole class is hoping you come back.  Hope to see you soon!

Hi, Mr. Kerr.  Thank you for everything you have done for us.  I hope to see you soon.  I miss you.

Hi, Mr. Kerr!  Are you still going on walks?  We will be doing some more baking soon!  I wish you were here in the class with us.  I hope to see you soon.

I hope the same thing, dear children.  Absence is absolutely making this heart grow fonder.  And these kids graduate in June.  I’ll be so sad if I don’t get to be with them … at all.

I need to remember
We are together
Even if apart

The Span of Life

There was a time when Coco was a young girl. Her father sang her songs and played guitar. She was happy.

Then there was a rift between mom and dad. He left, and the music ended. For succeeding generations, singing and playing was always forbidden.

If Coco missed the joyous songs, she never said. The family made shoes for a living, and that became her purpose, along with caring for her children.

So says the film Coco.

Now Coco is very old. She doesn’t make shoes anymore. She almost forgets what was the singing was like … until her great-grandson Miguel came along. He didn’t like making shoes. He wanted to be a musician. So he sang to great-grandma. And a smile appeared.

***

There is a book called Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch. A young woman gives birth to her son. She rocks him and sings these words:

I’ll love you forever
I’ll like you for always
As long as I’m living
My baby you’ll be

She keeps singing to him throughout the years … to a kid, a teen, a young adult, and an older one. It is her joy to do so.

In the sweep of time, mom becomes very old and very sick. She needs her son, and he needs his mom. So he holds her, rocks her, and sings:

I’ll love you forever
I’ll like you for always
As long as I’m living
My mommy you’ll be