About 3 weeks ago I came to work & heard the worst possible news...a student I knew from last year (Honza) had taken his life. He was only about 20/21, seemed to be a fairly level-headed guy - the only man in a class of young women...his future ahead of him...and in a few moments it was all over. I can only imagine what kind of thoughts drove him to believe the lies that they were, and that it was better if his life was over. When I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" this Christmas, I think it will be all the more poignant...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
Needless to say, I was shocked & really not ready to teach. Withing 15 minutes of this news I was taking a class & marking them. Their theme was to create a festival/celebration/special day & to give a short talk about it. One young woman, Šary, did a talk based on 'National Hugging Day'. It was fun & creative...it helped to take my mind off the bad news I'd heard. But I was unprepared for the ending...She finished her talk & asked me to stand up. Having done so, she said to me, "Mr. Everill, you look sad today & I think you need this..." And with that, in full view of the rest of the class, she gave me a hug...It was all I could do not to cry!! I admire her boldness - no student has ever done such a thing to me in one of my lessons...indeed, even out of my lessons! But I considered it as a 'God moment'...for only God knew that I needed such a touch at that time. Powerful.
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