Jaron's First Day of School

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I remember Jaron's first day of school.

He was nervous.  He had gotten up early.  He was pale.

I can just imagine what must have been going through his head:

          Will the other students be nice?

          Will they like me?

          Will the teacher be mean?

          Will the work be too hard?

          Will I know where to go?

          What's for lunch?

          Will I get picked for any one's team?

Jaron has never been too big on new things, or especially, new people.  We talked to him months before his first day of school to get him prepared, but when the day came, he was still nervous.

Jaron has always been extremely shy.  When he was 4 he would hide under the table at children's church the whole class.  When he was 5 he would hide whenever company came to our house.  When nearly anyone talked to him (even us, his parents) his face would turn blotchy because he was so nervous and embarrassed.

Yet, Jaron would always have a friend, and the two of them would stick like glue.

In Columbia, TN it was Brooke.  He loved Brooke and would talk to Brooke.  I would have to listen to him talk to her so I could know what he was thinking (or just hear his voice.)

In Newton it was Matthew.  They lived across the street from each other and were inseparable (except when they would have an argument, which was usually short-lived.)

In Kansas City it has been Anthony.  Anthony was the first CYT kid to literally "reach-out" to Jaron.  It was after the "Narnia" show. Jaron had run a spotlight and Anthony had been "Peter." After the show, the cast was standing in a big "pile" praying a final group-prayer. Jaron was standing off to the side when Anthony looked-up and motioned him over. To my suprise, Jaron walked over and joined in.  They were fast-friends and have been ever since.  I've always admired Anthony for that.

Which brings me back my to reflecting about Jaron's first day of school...

I remember driving him there myself.  He looked so adorable wearing his favorite hoodie with his satchle of school supplies hung over his shoulder.

We pulled into the school parking lot and I walked him all the way over to his classroom.  Other students were already there and his teacher smiled and looked nice.  I tried not to embarras him too much so I slowly slipped out.

This memory is so vivid because it just happened an hour ago.

Jaron's nearly 18 and he's just now experiencing his first day at school (Intermediate Algebra at Longview Community College.)

...tear

chris

To learn more about Longview Community College: Longview Community College