Nuttier than a fruitcake

Tonight I was watching an Extreme Makeover Home Edition that was on TiVo. It had to have been there for a while since the commercials were still advertising "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". It was a sweet show about a couple who run a camp for children with disabilities. (No, I made no slips of the tongue.) But it allowed me the chance to reflect on someone who impacted my life in a way that no one else really has.

In 1996 I had graduated from college with a degree in counseling and psychology. I couldn't find a job with my degree because I had to have a masters to be a counselor and not many jobs call for a BS in Counseling. I started subbing in my husband's school district in October of 1996, just some way to make some money while I tried to figure out what I was going to do with my life. My husband's school called me in December to take on a long term sub job as an aide in the LIFE classroom (LIFE stands for Living in a Functional Environment). My main job was to take care of one student who was wheelchair bound. He had cerebral-palsy. His speech was limited, as was his mobility. I was responsible for feeding him (not the easiest of tasks) and changing him. Little did I know how Ruben was going to change my life. I took the long term sub position and in January I was hired on full time since the aide before me was let go. It took some time, but I got to where I could understand Ruben and he even seemed to get my unique brand of humor. I would tell him he was nuttier than a fruitcake or call him a fruitloop. He took to calling me fruitcake. I never heard Ruben say my name, and I am not sure I would have ever wanted too. I was told over the semester that I worked with him that no one had seen him smile and be happy like he was in the time he was with me. In May I was told that my job was being "phased" out and there wouldn't be a position for me at the school for the next year. One of the assistant principals sat me down and told me what his thoughts were and based on how he had seen me work with Ruben, he felt that teaching was where I belonged.

Over the next couple of years I was given updates on Ruben. Many of them breaking my heart. When I was told he was in the hospital and not doing so well I prayed as I had never done before. I can still feel my heart breaking when I think back to the day that my husband came home from school and took me for a walk to let me know that Ruben had passed away. It is amazing sometimes how someone can touch your life. Ruben was the reason I got into teaching and he is the one I think about when I get really down on my job and if I think I am doing anyone any good. I hope that every teacher has a Ruben in their life that they can think back on to pull them through the rough spots and give them hope that in the end they are doing something important in a child's life.

I may not stick with teaching in the long run, and even though I think I would be better off back in a counseling position, I believe my place is with kids and helping them. I don't think I would have lasted 10 years in poverty if I didn't love what I was doing on some level.