At the end of it all, the kind principal came up to her and asked for a short essay for the newsletter. After 36 years, the world she had entered as a 23 year old eager new graduate had become almost unrecognizable, in some ways wonderfully so, and in other ways not.

She remembered some of the children with crystal clear clarity, others with dim feelings of sadness, but all with hope for a brighter future. They are the future.

What good has come of it all, the thousands of faces passing in memory? The feeling of knowing finally what is needed but losing the resources to perform the task is not what she wanted to remember.

Instead she wanted to remember the look of joy on the children's faces. Watching them get the idea and running with it is what kept her going. She will remember the parents who came with heart-wrenching questions. "What can I do to help my child who has this challenge?" They poured their souls into making the change happen.

With a tremendous sense of gratitude, she thanked the hundreds of teachers and teaching assistants who had dedicated their lives to educating the children. The children had learned in so many different ways. The principals and administrators who gave support when things got really tough will be close to her heart.

Has it really been that long? I blinked.