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You don't know my brother?

Yesterday I was substitute teaching in a classroom full of darling children. I had taught at this school as a full-time third grade teacher years previous, and many of them asked me energetically if their brother or sister had been in my class before. One young man asked me with vigor if I knew his brother, and I responded that I didn't.

I was surprised when his eyes welled up with tears. "What's wrong?" I inquired.

"I feel bad that you weren't my brother's teacher... because he's a really, really good person!" He proceeded to wipe his eyes and take some deep breaths to help himself calm down.

...
...
...


Wow.
How could I respond to that? I was so baffled and so inspired by his comment.
He felt bad for me that I had not had the gift of knowing his brother. 

What if we all esteemed our siblings that way?

It made me think about my own family and all that my own brothers have taught me, and to be honest, if you don't know my brothers... I feel bad for you, too! Those four bright men have taught me to laugh, to write, to invent words, to preserve memories with photos and film, and to love all creatures great and small (even the slimy ones).

May we all esteem the individuals in our families with the same love and respect as that wise young man in my class.
<3 <3 <3

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