Sometimes Love Walks Into Your Classroom #SOL

Sometimes love walks into your classroom and sits on the floor to write. Today, I walked over and sat beside her on the floor.

Me:        How’s your writing going?
Her:       Good. I’m writing about my parents moving from Guatemala to the United States.    
Me:        Oh. That sounds like an important story to write.
Her:       Yes. It is.
Me:       Sometimes, as a writer, we have stories we need to write down before we start
working on other things to write. I can see that it is important for you to write about your family. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Her:       Yes. I have an older sister and a younger sister.
Me:        You have an older sister?
Her:       Yes, but she didn’t make it.
Me:        Did she stay in Guatemala?
Her:       No. She didn’t make it, because there was not enough food. When she was a baby, my parents didn’t have enough food to give her. They didn’t have enough milk for her, so she didn’t make it. She died. They didn’t have enough food, so they came to the United States, and now I live in Texas. 

(pause)

Me:        What was her name?
Her:       The same as mine.
Me:        (hugging her) Thank you for sharing your special story with me. I am so happy you are in my class this year, --------------.
Her:       I am so happy I am in your class, too.