My Kindergarten Teacher

It was my first day at kindergarten. That day, my younger brother was in the hospital and my mother had to leave soon after attending the welcome ceremony.

I did not panic when she left. I was quite used to being away from my parents by that age. Since my sweet little brother was born with a heart disease, I was often sent to my grandmothers’ places when my parents needed their full attention on my brother. It was part of my family’s life. So, I did not feel anything when my mother had to leave early to go back to the hospital that day.

I was happily attending the welcome party organized by the teachers. My two best friends were also with me in the same room. There were many songs and games, and I was busy following all the activities happening in the room. I was excited.

Then there was an announcement. All the new children were invited to come on the stage with their mother or father to play a game. As everybody around me started to move to the stage, I suddenly felt anxious. Not knowing what to do, I followed the crowd onto the stage.

We were told to stand face to face with our parent. I stood at the far end of the stage, feeling the empty space in front of me. We were going to perform a hand game with our parent.

The music started and I looked around uncertainly.

Just when I had decided to use my imagination and pretend that somebody was standing in front of me, a young teacher came running and knelt before me. With a big smile, she took my hand and started to play the hand game with me. Even though I was feeling anxious and did not smile at her, she kept smiling at me and talking to me. When the music stopped and everybody clapped, she gently brought me back to my seating.

When I was about to be invisible in the room, this teacher saw me and made me feel loved. I do not recall any words coming to my mind that day, but the smile she gave me that day is engraved in my heart.