I teach Life Skills. The last couple of weeks have gone nothing like my lesson plans indicated and yet it was more true to the "Life Skills" curriculum than most weeks.

First our classroom assistant ended up in the hospital unable to breathe, she is now awaiting open heart surgery. My students have learned that there are set backs in people's health. They have learned that the plan can change, like the rescheduling of heart surgery. They have been learning how to channel that worry and concern into making some really sweet cards for their assistant.

Then this week a Life Lesson that no one wants to have to teach but we all do at some point. One of my student's mother died of cancer. She was well-known and well loved by many. Every student couldn't help but think, what if that was me? We cried, we talked, we were quiet, we made cards, we hugged, we asked why, we took comfort in our routines, we clung to our friends and on Monday we will attend a funeral.

I hope my students have learned a little bit about compassion these weeks. I hope they see that it is ok to cry but then one needs to carry on. I hope they have learned that it is sometimes about someone else and their pain. I hope they see how to walk beside someone having a tough time. Hope.....hope.....hope and thru it all may they see hope!