The best part of my trip around the Sierra Nevada was not Yosemite, not Convict Lake, not Big Pine Creek, not Manzanar, not Lone Pine, not Walker Pass, not Paradise Creek, not even meeting the iconic Mr. Goldie. The best part by far was the chance to re-connect with Maria B., one of my favorite kids from my P.E. teacher/Coach days in Santa Barbara in the 1980s.
Now in her early forties with a college-age daughter and years of life experience, Maria is the same bright, sassy, gritty, hard-working prankster that I remember from her pre-teen days as a happy-go-lucky multi-sport star in SB. Now working temporary "adventure" jobs in the National Parks to see the country while still making money, she took time out of her busy schedule to spend a day with me hanging out and enjoying a perfect day in the Giant Forest.
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| The trail from the Lodgepole Campground to the General Sherman Tree. |
The teaching profession is many things to many people. One thing most of us can agree on is that very often the rewards for all the crazy hours invested in our kids and the sometimes difficult personal interactions with stressed-out adults are either unseen or long-delayed. We keep moving forward, keep sending our messages of learn, strive, love, and play to the next set of minds and hearts.
What happens to those little shining faces with the ambitious hair-sprayed bangs after they leave our classrooms and courts? Do they retain any of those life lessons we so carefully crafted late at night? What kind of people do they become? Are they healthy, are they okay? Did the world treat them right?
Once in a great while a retired teacher like me gets to catch a glimpse of a grown-up student/athlete like Maria, as strong and resilient as a Sequoia, and he can feel his heart swell with love and pride. A teenager will rarely tell you what he or she feels. It's too personal, too embarrassing, and a teacher understands that. When a grown woman lets you know you made a difference, though, you know it's for real and your spirit soars like a hawk. This was the very best part of my long loop around the Sierra - a reward reaped from work and play so long ago - a few sunny hours with a lifelong friend in the greatest of California forests.
I think the psychologists call it closure. I don't know what to call it, personally, but I know I can't put a price on a moment like this one. I love "my kids" and I always will.
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| With Maria B. at the General Sherman Tree, Sequoia National Park. |
Peace, Love, and the Best Profession,
Coach Jim
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