On Thursday, I went to a baby shower for a co-worker I absolutely adore. Ms. T is 26 years old, smart, talented, and beautiful, inside and out. I first knew her as a student. She is now a colleague and a friend. This young woman has shown me that not every unwed mother fits the stereotypical image. It�s good for me to be reminded that life is not �one size fits all.� These reminders help to keep me open-minded and non-judgmental.
Now pregnant with her second child, Ms. T raised her firstborn as a single mother, and did an outstanding job, I might add. Her son is without a doubt the most well behaved child I have ever met. He is very bright, too. And exceedingly cool.
Last year, Cool Boy had a wild crush on Beyonce. His mom scored fourth row seats for a Destiny�s Child concert at the Pepsi Arena in Albany. Cool Boy wore an �I Love Beyonce� t-shirt, and, at one point, Beyonce noticed him in the audience and sang directly to him. He was so excited.
Ms. T was in college when she was pregnant with Cool Boy, but still managed to achieve top grades. She has one Masters degree, and is working on her second, this one in ESL (English as a Second Language). She is fluent in Spanish � a language she learned in high school and college. She teaches Global Studies, and is devoted to and well loved by her students.
To show their appreciation, her bilingual class threw a surprise shower for her in the classroom the other day (not, however, the shower I made reference to in the opening sentence of this entry). They brought trays of Mexican goodies (empanadas, flan, etc.), and I was invited to join the festivities. It was heartwarming to witness the love and respect this teacher and her students have for each other.
Ms. T and her fianc� (who owns a couple of very profitable delis) are in the process of building a big, beautiful house. I am so happy for them. They deserve all the best, and something tells me that�s exactly what they will have.
Song of the Day: The Teacher by Paul Simon
Reading: Drinking: A Love Story, by Caroline Knapp
