Dear Tired Girl at the Bar,
I see you.
I see you with your messy hair flung on the top of your head.
I see you.
I see you with the bags under your eyes and the marker all over your pants.
I see you with the look of worry on your face because you were given another daunting task to complete by Thursday afternoon. I understand that although you may be allowed to leave your job at 2:30, you stay there until 5 most nights working on things. I understand that those bags under your eyes come from sleepless nights and nights full of worrying about things that are out of your control. Worrying that the little babies in your room are loved and safe and have food to eat when they leave your room. I understand that your job doesn't end once you hit the parking lot and that those bags also come from staying up to make lesson plans and centers that are engaging and will make the children want to learn. I see you sitting there with 200 tabs open in your mind. I see you thinking about the IEP meetings and how to accommodate the wants and needs of all the different kids in your room on a daily basis. I see you thinking about the staff meeting on Monday, the tutoring sessions on Tuesday, the after school club you are a coach of on Wednesday, the IEP meeting on Thursday, and the parent conference on Friday. I see you wanting to throw in the towel because it is almost state testing time and you are worried that these tests are going to tear apart your class. I see you thinking of things to tell them so they understand they are so much more than a test. I see you sitting at the bar, with a drink in your hand wanting to change the world, but wondering how you are going to make it until summer break. I see you, but most importantly I am you. And I want to thank you. While most people will never understand the love and passion you have for your job, even though not many people around you respect you, I do. I understand. And I thank you. Keep doing what you do, and I promise you, you will change the world.
