Seeing Clay Again

Last night was a sad night for me. I went to the funeral home for a viewing of my friend, Jimmy Brown. Jimmy was a firefighter for the Auburn Fire Dept. so it was a very symbolic viewing. There were two Honor Guards posted at the head and foot of the coffin. They rotated off every 15 minutes. Well, after going through the viewing I ended up in the coffee room to visit....and there...sitting at one of the tables....was my former student Clay Carson! I was floored. I havge not seen this young man for 15 years. He did not look a day older than he did at graduation.

We hugged, told each other we loved each other, and sat down and had a rapid fire conversation. Our conversation was interrupted every fifteen minutes when he had to go and stand guard.

Who was Clay Carson? Well...in a teacher's life there comes along a student or two if you are lucky that really touch your heart. Clay was mine. I loved him from the first day he walked into my class. He was an awesome young man....with a heart for Jesus....and today, he is still an awesome young man with a heart for Jesus. What a guy!

I had Clay in Spanish class and he was a model student. He worked hard, gave 100% of himself everyday, and just made life wonderful! It does a teacher's heart good to see a student they had in the past....and how they are in the present! So many times we never know what happens to our former students.

Even though last night was a time of saddness, for me there was a touch of joy. Joy that I got to see that I made a small impact on someone's life. Joy that I truly had touched a life during his formative years....and made a difference. The words to the song, "What a Difference You Made in My Life" came to my mind...while I was waiting for Clay to return from Honor Guard duty. The chorus to the song goes something like this:

What a difference you?ve made in my life.

What a difference you?ve made in my life.

You?re my sunshine day and night.

Oh, what a difference you?ve madeIn my life.

This is truly what all teachers want to hear their former students say to them at some point down the road of life. I sat there with my former student last night though....and thought those things about him. He truly did make a diffence...he truly was my sunshine....he was that ray of hope that make me still want to teach. I touched a life once...and I am forever changed.