On the first day of school I walked with the children. Outside the gates of the school sat three or four older Korean women selling bouquets of bright flowers wrapped in clear cellophane. The entryway to the schoolyard was crowded with hoards of people. It was impossible for us to walk through the gates without brushing up against people on both sides. Once through the gates I think my mouth gaped open because of the number of children lined up row after row. Hundreds. Inside the elementary school building, same. Hundreds of children. I walked James to his classroom. The forty desks were lined up in the small and crowded classroom row by row with very little space for the five year old children to scoot in and out. James sat in the only vacant seat in the back corner. The chubby boy in front of him snickered, "foreigner", pointing his finger at James. James stared straight ahead. Didn't flinch. My eyes were full of tears as I stood in the back of the crowded room against the wall shoulder to shoulder with the other parents. After standing there for half an hour while his teacher gave instructions that I could not understand the parents were dismissed and I left the room. I felt very overwhelmed, so much that I could hardly walk down the cold, unheated hallway. Somehow, I managed to smile at a few of the parents who stared curiously at me. Out of nowhere the words to a song came into my mind, "I am proud to be an American". I looked around me. No, I am humbled to be an American. Every country I have visited is full of people trying to get to America. After today, I know why.
5 comments:
Kim, I guess we are all struggling in some way.(some more than others). I hope that James will find the good in going to his new school. Love you
If I could just stop crying long enough to make a comment. That was a very touching post, Kim. I too, am so grateful to be an American. What a blessing. I'm sorry for the struggles you and your children are going through. But I know that your experiences are making you stronger, better, more empathetic people. Some day, in the not too distant future, you will be back on American soil. Try to remember that none of us our foreigners. We are all children of our Father in Heaven. And we have been sent to this beautiful planet Earth. Hang in there. I love you!
Kim, I've been thinking about you today. I think that at the beginning of your post when you talk about the brightly colored flowers wrapped in cellophane. I think those are symbolic. I think they represent hope, and that everything is going to be okay. :) Love you so much!!! I'm so thankful for your example of courage.
My thoughts, exactly. Thank you Natalie.
Well written!
My favorite part was the "proud/humble" to be an American. Beautiful.
I love how he didn't flinch. Wouldn't it be great if we could see it all from his perspective, the whole day? I wonder how he would describe it.
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