I talk to them sometimes
as though they were children --
'Behave yourself!'
or
'Stop that fighting right now!'
or
'Please watch your language'
or
just smiling tolerantly
and patting their backs

I talk to them sometimes
as though they were nuisances --
'Yes, yes, but right now you need to sit down'
or
'No, I don't have time to help you'
or
rolling my eyes
or
just walking past
and pretending not to hear them

But at least once
each day
-and sometimes more-

at least once
each day
I see the light
that shines
as June tells me yet again about how she met Frank Sinatra once...
as Harry tells me about his time singing and dancing on Broadway...
as Mary tells me about raising her children on a farm before sending them off to Harvard...
as Leo smiles at me when I touch his hand.

and I remember
that these people
are my teachers
and
my friends

and I remember
that I am
lucky

04/03/2011