Rewards of the Vocational Variety

I recently had my Year-End Theatre Bash, a party for the casts and crews of both productions we’ve done during the school year, and the improv team. The kids surprised me at the end by having a time where they each shared something about how the theatre department or I had impacted them in my time here.

WOW!

As they each spoke (about two dozen kids), I was hearing the passions of my heart spoken in their own words.

“…I understand how God is in the midst of the arts…”

“…theatre is so powerful…”

“…you helped me find out who I am and really like that person…”

It was about the greatest gift they could’ve given me. After the party one of my students came up to me and said “You always say things about me that are only a little bit true. And then I work really hard to make sure they are very true.”

I wasn’t immediately impacted by this statement. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a compliment that was. In this boy’s life, I saw the best in him and called attention to it, and it inspired him to be more of his best self. That was never an intentional goal of mine, but I’m going to work really hard to make sure it is from now on.