I am so smart . . . smrt

I decided early on that I was dumb.  No one had to tell me, I figured it out all by my little girl self.  My peers seemed to understand exactly what the teacher was telling them the first time through and while they were turning in their neatly completed assignments I was still slumped in my desk trying to figure out what had just been said.  I gave up quickly and easily and reverted to cheating off my best friend which stunted my learning even more over time.  My teachers didn't call on me for insights or answers and I didn't offer them.  I fell into the role of chit chatty social butterfly, building up a thick cocoon to hide the shame I felt over my lack of book smarts.

I was searching through a file of memories late one night when I ran into a handful of report cards my mother had saved.  My heart dropped as I looked over lousy marks from year after year.  And then there were ARA and SRA test scores that drove the point home just in case there was any shred of doubt left after reading through my grades.  I was teary.  "I am dumb."  I sat with my back up against the bedroom wall sandwiched safely next to my night stand and my bed.  My cocoon.

But there was more.  As I dug deeper in the file I found a grey Thank You card dated June 7th, 1987.

Jodi,
You may not realize it, but I've admired you all year because of the example you set for me.  As a bus-driver, part of my job is to be cheerful so kids can get a good start in the morning.  The example you've set of always being nice to everyone and always happy is one I've tried to follow.  Thank you for being cheerful and always helping me to get my day off to a good start.


You also deserve credit for not being selective with your kindness.  I don't think you or anyone can imagine how much you've done for people like T. by being nice to them.  T. is kind of awkward and it's obvious not everyone treats him very well.  You, however, treat him so kindly - you make him feel good about himself.  Nobody can thank you enough for that.  Keep up the good work Jodi.  You are one of the deep down nicest people I have ever met. 


Thank you very much and good luck in life!
Your morning bus driver, 
Mike Hardy


My mom says there are lots of kinds of smart.  My friend Gina is people smart.  Jeni is family smart.  Londa is food smart.  Joy is decorating smart . . .

I found a handwritten note tucked in the folder written by my mom years ago.  On it she listed my favorite colors, my favorite food, my hobbies, my pets.  At the bottom are written these two lines -

She is very sensitive to people's feelings.  Feels bad when animals or people get hurt.

Maybe I am sensitive smart.  And maybe that's just the kind of smart I needed to be to raise a little person who is smart in so many different ways than the rest of the world.

(on the bus with Nick)