Summer Corn Chowder and Comments that Made Me Think

I treated myself to a You Pick Two at Panera Bread (St. Louis Bread Company) tonight for dinner. A half of a turkey sandwich, iced tea and summer corn chowder (and you were wondering how that got in the title). Yes, I am crazy, I had soup on a day when it was 90 some degrees here in Springfield. It was very good soup, by the way, and if you have the opportunity, I would recommend it. There's a chowder at Longhorn that I like, as well, it has lobster and shrimp in it but I can't remember the name of it. Anyway on to other things. I don't, as a rule, listen to other peoples' conversations but when you are speaking loudly it is rather hard to miss. There was a well dressed woman sitting with several other ladies and commenting on careers that did not make money. She commented that being a teacher would never make you enough money or something to that effect. She is right that teachers don't make near the money of others with the same experience, etc. Both of my sisters and most of my friends have always and will always make more money than I do. Having said that, her comment caught my attention and it made me think of something that happened the other day. I was out enjoying an iced tea and reading a really good book when a woman and her son walked past me and I heard her comment to her son that when he was finished in the restroom, he was to sit in the chair, at the table, across from me and wait for her. The young man nodded and repeated what his mother had said to him when she asked him to and then entered the restroom. When the young man exited the restroom he walked right to the chair, sat down, smiled at me and waved. I said hello and asked him his name which he shared with me. We had a short conversation while he was waiting for his mother and then when she came out of the ladies room he introduced her to me, the three of us talked for a few minutes and I learned that the young man would be going to camp that night and that he was buying his mom lunch. He was very proud of the fact that he was paying for lunch with his own money. The two of them went up to get their lunch and I returned to my book. A few minutes later, the lady who had been sitting at the booth in front of me, got up to leave and as she was standing, she turned and asked me if I was a teacher. I was a bit surprised by the question and though I answered yes, there must have been a question on my face. The lady commented that I must work in Special Education because I had been so "patient and caring" in my conversation with the young man. I smiled and said thank you and then the woman stated that "You are in the right profession, never doubt it." I was shocked and said thank you again, the woman smiled and repeated her statement, before saying goodbye. If you put the comment from tonight with the comment from the other day, they make for some interesting conversations. Those of us who teach and truly care for the children in our classes and schools may never make what others will in a monetary form but perhaps we are there to make others think about what they do and perhaps why they do it. My students may never be able to hold a conversation with me or their families like that young man did but the little things they do are just as important if not more so. And in case I've not said it, thank you to all of the teachers and students who have crossed my path throughout my life you have given me more than I can ever say. Perhaps the woman at Panera tonight needs to spend some time with some of you.