Touched by an angel...

I will always remember Jason. Jason was in my kindergarten class and was quite large for his age. However, developmentally, he was behind in many ways. Jason struggled with academics mostly because his body was not able to keep up due to his lack of development.  Jason always smiled through all of it.

Jason's mother worked long hours and so he was raised and lived with his grandmother most of the week. He lived with his mother on the weekends. They were a close family but mom had odd hours and this was the best way to make life consistent for Jason.

Each day I tried to find something that Jason could be successful at so he would go home feeling good about himself. I remember the day I had to test the kindergarteners on their name, address, and phone number. I usually looked forward to this because they would always amaze me but for some reason I was not looking forward to calling Jason up because I suspected he would not remember even after all the practice we had done in class. I put off calling Jason up until the last second because I knew I would have to think of a way to help him.

I called Jason up and he came bouncing up to the chair by me and told me how beautiful I looked today. Well that of course touched my heart and I smiled and thanked him. So we talked a little to make him comfortable and in the process of talking I asked Jason if he knew where he lived. He didn't. I asked if he remembered the number on his house. He didn't. I asked if he could tell me the name of his street...he couldn't. I then asked him if he could tell me his phone number...he couldn't. I was trying to think of a way to make this more positive for him and I remembered how close he was to his grandmother so I asked him if he knew his grandmother's phone number. Jason gave the biggest smile, jumped up and down and looked me in the eye and said, "I do, I do, I do know it!  It's memory one!"

Well that about did it for me. I applauded Jason on the outside but laughed on the inside. I have never forgotten that meeting with Jason because he was so proud that he knew the phone number and had no qualms in telling me it. He went home that day excited to tell his mother all about it!  How could I ever tell him it wasn't what I was looking for?   I couldn't because that was his success that I couldn't take away. And so to this day I wonder if Jason has ever learned his address and phone number. But even if he hasn't at least he knows memory one!

I was truly touched by an angel when in Jason's presence!!