I logged onto Facebook today, and this post from six years ago warmed my heart to bits. Six years ago today, I had just relocated to Mesa, Arizona, from Philadelphia, PA, after living and working there for fifteen years. The hardest was leaving behind children I loved dearly as their friend and caregiver. As I prepared to move on with life and venture into the unknown southwest, I prayed they would know how much I deeply loved them. I knew bidding them goodbye wasn't for forever. I knew we would stay in touch as frequently as we could. Still, the emptiness I felt couldn't compare to the sadness I felt in my heart.
A week after settling in my new home in Mesa, Arizona, I received my first letter from Philadelphia, PA, how exciting! The writing on the envelope filled me with joy to the brim, and I could hardly wait to read the contents of my mail. The back envelope had my name inscribed within a heart shape, which made me cry sweet tears before gently opening it to read. My sweet girl told me how much she missed me even though I had just left. How blessed I felt to be loved, appreciated, and remembered by a dear child. I read her letter with gratitude and thought about the first day I held her in my arms as a week old. I was her caregiver for close to 9 years until I moved to Mesa. It seemed stolen quickly by time as I reflected on the many fun adventures we had in those years.
Today, January 6th, 2022, her kindness reminds me of why I wrote my first book, Heart to Heart with Abagaba - A Nanny/Teacher Reflection. I don't want the compassion and love I've felt of Eliza and other children to go unnoticed. I will continue to cherish and celebrate these precious moments. I will learn from them. I will seek to be kind to others who need my love and assurance. I will feel love and gratitude for others and show it by letting them know. Children are seriously the best!
Henry Ward Beecher said, "Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven."
I invite you to join me in celebrating the awesomeness of children worldwide. Pass it on.
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