Remembering names

Today in Chorus B (go, Pandas!) I was asking all of the students to keep in touch. I said something about the fact that it will be difficult for me to write personal e-mails to all of you (after all, there are hundreds of you!), but if you write me a personal e-mail I will write you back. Sam put his hand up and asked, "What if one of us sends you an e-mail but you forget who we are?" I promised Sam there's no way I'd forget him, and that I don't think I'll forget any of you.

Someone asked then if I could say the names of ALL the students in Chorus. I said yes, I could, but it would be really boring. But then a bunch of the students started to urge me to do it. I really thought it seemed like a waste of time at first, but it seemed so important to so many people that I agreed to do it. After I finished each row, everyone applauded. And as I went down the row, I got to look into each student's eyes one more time, the way I try to whenever we rehearse. I don't think any of you know how beautiful and amazing you are.

This morning I received letters from two amazing students; I read them a little while after chorus rehearsal. Here's an excerpt from them: "I'll always remember the summer between sixth & seventh grade at the Hamilton-Wenham 'down town.' My dad & I were leaving & you were coming in. You waved & said hello, & what amazed me was that you remembered my name. That day I felt special. I had only been at MRMS for two & a half months & only had met you once before, yet you remembered me. Me, the new girl. That brief transition from parking lot to car, seeing you, made my move transition a bit smoother."

Between Chorus B & that letter, I re-learned how important it is to know each other by name, to call each other by name. We need to constantly remind each other that we ARE special, because it helps us begin to figure out (just a little) how beautiful and amazing we really are.