I guess I did learn from her after all

This morning I was at Toys R Us doing some early Christmas shopping (not sure why, but I'm done with it. And insane). Little was playing at the train table, and I was looking around for magic ink coloring books. I looked up and saw a blonde woman I recognized as someone I knew. My brain scanned its rolodex of faces, and finally I realized that it was my student teaching "mentor" (a term I use loosely). I hadn't seen her since the last day I subbed at CLHS, and that was over four years ago. I knew that when I was there, she was ready to retire and seemed to already have one foot out the door. I remember that the students were grateful to have me and wished I could have stayed for the rest of the semester instead of being done in April. Nevertheless, I said hi to her and she remembered me and we talked for a while. She finally retired last year. She said she's supposed to be in Italy right now, but instead is going through a second bout of child rearing, this time raising her son's daughters, ages 3 and 9. Not what she thought she'd be doing with her life at this point. I can't even imagine. I told her she's a saint for taking the girls. She said, matter-of-factly, that there was no other choice. I thought about what I would do if I were in the same situation, if I had to take care of Little's children once I'm old and retired and ready for a life of leisure, of time for myself... would I do it? Of course. It's what you do. It's family!

It was good to hear this from a woman for whom I had little respect after the experience I had with her. I saw a different side of her, and that was refreshing.