Green Aura

Indulge me while I share a treasured memory of the last day of school. I have one student who was part of my library group who has struggled all year. He loves reading, so I saw him a lot. As we (my aide and I) talked to him, we learned that his mother was in jail, and he didn't know where his father was. For a while he stayed with his aunt, but he told us she really didn't care what he did, and that seemed to be true as he would show up with a high powered energy drink (Jolt?) for breakfast most days. He picked it up on the way to school. The last update was that his aunt was tired of him and had turned him over to foster care. He was one angry kid--flunking his classes, spending every other day or so in "In School Suspension," because he couldn't control his anger. A couple of times I had to kick him out of library group for the day for swearing. But, we (my sweet aide and I) still talked kindly to him and encouraged his reading.

Anyway, the last day of school he came in and asked me to sign his yearbook. I wrote glowingly about how intelligent he was, and how he was one of the best readers in the school (he is). He read it as soon as I finished, then walked away. He walked around the library for several minutes then came to the desk.

"I think you have a green aura," he said.

"Why do you say that? Do you see auras?"

"No, but I know yours is green."

"Why?"

"Because people with green auras are kind and care about people."

"Thank you, _______."

"See ya next year Mrs. Earley."

And, I hope he makes it here next year. I must have a green aura because I really do care about what happens to him.