Today, I love my job

I love my job. If you had asked me last week I would not have said the same thing, it was not a good week. If you ask next week it may be different too, but today I love it. And this is why. Last week I cried in front of my entire class. It just snuck up on me and there I was, at a loss for words, wiping the mascara from my cheeks as I tried to explain why I had to cancel class the week before. Way too much reality for a group of 20 somethings to deal with. They averted their eyes, the room was silent, and there I was, oh so unprofessional, entirely uncomfortable, utterly humiliated. I finally pulled it together, we talked about politics and rhetoric and religion and the world of Enlgish 150 settled back into its groove again. Class ended and I was relieved. Definitely not my finest hour (or three). Definitely not the best week.
But today was better. Today a student told me how much he enjoyed my class as we were leaving. It's the first class he has ever had, ever in all of his 18 years. He was home schooled as a child and this is his first semester of college. And he was surprised at how much he liked it and how much he was learning and what a good teacher I was. No pretenses, just an honest compliment. And I was happy all of the sudden. I felt like a good teacher. So I cried last week. Life makes you cry sometimes. But he still thought I was a good teacher. And hearing that your good sometimes can make all the difference. Especially from someone that doesn't have to say anything at all. And that is why today, I love my job.