I admit it. When it comes to my age, I am in complete denial. My birth certificate states that I was born in 1951. That would make me 73. That has to be a mistake. There’s no way I can be that old.
In my head I see myself as a much younger man. After all, I listen to music by folks like Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran and Adele. I dress up by wearing a sport coat over a tee-shirt. I use acronyms in my text messages. I know what a meme is. I actually understand all the rules of soccer. I hang out with minimalists. I’m considering buying a pair of jeans that have rips in the knees. I can name at least three of the Backstreet Boys. Yep, I picture myself as a pretty hip guy.
Yet, every once in a while, I see something that shocks me out of my delusion, and forces me to acknowledge how much time has passed. The latest reality check came the other day as I was scrolling through my local newspaper Facebook page. I came to the article about the teachers who were honored upon their retirement from our school system. There were nineteen employees in all. I began scanning through the names, some of which I knew, and some not. Eventually I came upon a name that stunned me. Just stunned me.
The name was Gina Gamble. Wow. No way, I thought. Is that possible? My mind immediately flashed back to a hot and humid August morning in 1990. My son Brett was so excited to start the first grade. He is our oldest child and we were equally excited for him. It was Meet The Teacher Day. We brought him to the elementary School. There was only one then. Hard to believe, considering there are now three, with plans to build a fourth.
The old grade school was at the top of a hill. I think the city fire department uses the building now. We anxiously found Brett’s classroom and walked inside. We were greeted by this pretty, youthful, blonde-haired lady with a warm smile. She introduced herself as Gina Whitson. Miss Whitson seemed excited, but a little nervous and apprehensive. Upon talking to her, we learned why. Turns out this was Gina’s first year as a teacher. This was to be her first class. She was going to be in charge of twenty rambunctious six-year-olds, and she wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
She needn’t have worried. Brett and all of his classmates had a terrific year in the first grade. Gina did a great job, and our son loved having her as his first “big school” teacher.
How can it be that was 34 years ago? Brett (who is now 40) would go on to work his way through twelve years in the school system, while Gina would go on to become one of its best teachers. Along the way she got married, raised three beautiful daughters, and put in 34 hard years at three different schools..
Now she is retiring. Where did the time go? She says she still loves to teach, but she just recently was blessed with the birth of her first grandchild, and she wants to spend more time with family. I saw her picture in the internet article, standing with the other retirees, holding the certificates they received from the Board of Education. She looked exactly the same as she did the day we met her in that classroom.
Gina, if you read this, I just want to express our appreciation for everything that you, and all the other retirees, have done for the kids of our town. Teachers are one of our most precious resources, and we are blessed to have some of the best. It’s one of the main reasons why everybody wants to move here. It’s one of the main reasons we have to keep building more schools.
I hope you have a wonderful retirement. Oh, and one more thing. I hope you will forgive me if I just can’t get used to calling you Gamble. To me, you will always be Miss Whitson. I guess remembering you that way helps me to keep feeling young.
These days, I need all the help I can get.
What a beautiful tribute to a very deserving teacher. I began my term in the library that year, and she was just as sweet and lovely as you described.
JudyS