Encouragement

Three affirming things happened to me yesterday. At lunchtime I was shopping at United on S.14th. The carry out girl was a former student of mine. I asked her what she had been up to lately. She said she was a sophomore education major at ACU, studying to be a middle school English teacher. She said that she wanted to teach on the middle school level because it was such an important developmental age, and that she remembered from her middle school experience that only Mr. Kiser and I managed to inspire her; then she thanked me for what I had done. - The second affirmation occurred when I went into Walgreen (it seems like that should be "Walgreen's", but it isn't. I looked it up in the phone book) after work. I was talking to the lady in the camera department. Her name was Sophia. She looked at me and said “Mr. Pierson?” I said “Yes. Do I know you?” She told me that I had been her English teacher many years ago. (Usually when this happens I look more carefully and then recognize the person's face, even though it has changed over the years – but this time I recognized nothing. There was nothing familiar about this person.) I apologized that I didn't remember her, pointing out that I have had thousands of students over the years. She said she understood and that's okay. “I hope you don't remember me for a bad reason,” I said. She said no, she remembers that I was fun, and used to play my guitar. -The third moment of affirmation came when I was sitting in the dugout at ACU visiting with players after practice. Joel Wells brought me a book about baseball that he had bought for me at Hastings. He said that he had seen it there and thought of me and wanted to get it for me. He had written a nice inscription in it which mentioned that I had inspired him intellectually, physically, and spiritually. That was a very nice thing. Joel is a good guy. (Though I cannot figure out how I could possibly have inspired him intellectually. He is way smarter than I am.) * Three affirmations in one day. You've got to appreciate that. I wish that I could carry these in my pocket and take them out for review on days that I am feeling discouraged.

New Computer

I have ordered a new computer. I do not know what kind. Actually it will be new only to me. I ordered it at a small computer store on S. 7th - a little mom and pop operation. The computer will have Windows 98 software, which will enable me to type postings at home. (I originally said "at my leisure," but I erased that. Writing is not a leisurely activity.) The man who owns and runs the store said that he will put one together for me and give me a call when he has it ready. He will put it together from whatever spare parts he can locate. I am looking forward to getting it. Presently the only computers we have at the house are two Macs, both of which are over ten years old. * I like owning things that have been discarded by someone. It's like recycling. Someone else used it and rejected it for some reason, and now I am giving it a new life. Almost all the shirts and pants that I own have someone else's name (from the cleaners) in them. I have never owned a new car, nor do I expect I ever will. * This is one reason I enjoy teaching at the school where I presently work. Our students all used to go to school somewhere else, but for some reason (and the reasons are numerous) the schools either rejected them, or they rejected their schools. And so they have chosen to be here with us, and we are doing what we can to try and help them out. * Hopefully my computer will be ready soon, and I will increase my typings.