I Can Fix That

by Juliana Smith

Ashley was more courageous than anyone I knew; she tended to be bolder than most were comfortable with. She was upfront and honest with everyone she met and held the confidence that most women dreamed of.

I paced back and forth in my apartment, staring at the contact on my phone, trying to plan what I was going to say in my head.

Working with first graders isn’t the most straightforward job, but it’s probably the most rewarding.

Dealing with first graders for a living gives you the power of patience.

The exhaustion of trying to entertain and educate a group of six- and seven-year-olds will drag you down quickly,

As difficult and tiring as teaching could be, I honestly couldn’t imagine being in another profession. The feeling of making a difference in a child’s life and seeing that innocence and sparkle in their eyes made it all worthwhile.

Exhausted from chasing my students around today, I climbed onto my couch and cuddled up with my fuzzy blanket, Criminal Minds playing on my flatscreen.

I would rather live only one day getting to love you than a million years without you in my life.”