"Joyful"

Yesterday I watched you chase leaves.

The wind blew and you dropped everything. 

You squealed. 

You leaped.

You held them in your fists.

You jostled each other.

You squinted into the sun.

And then the wind stopped.

And you, my students, stopped too.

A few final yellow leaves came fluttering down around you.

Your cheeks were flushed red and I could tell you felt alive.

You breathed deeply, turned, 

and returned to what we had been doing as a class.

I saw so deep into each of you, my students; my students

who have so much responsibility 

stacked on your growing shoulders. 

You, my students who have been told as you've gotten older

that you can be anything 

when someday arrives on the horizon.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

they ask.

After today, I hope your answer is always "Joyful."