I had a "date" tonight with someone from Tinder. The reason for the quotes-he is a teacher at Marysville-Pilchuck H.S. who was, I think, looking more for a sense of normalcy and human contact than a date tonight. I don't know how much people outside of our area know about Marysville-Pilchuck and I don't want to rehash it, so I will just say this: last Friday, I sobbed as I watched the most horrific events that a teacher can imagine unfold on live t.v., and those events happened at M-P H.S. Google it if you need to know more.
So, I met this man tonight and wasn't sure what to expect. Would he want to talk about it or do anything but? I think that he needed to tell his story to a stranger. I sat with him and listened as he related the events that led up to that day, the thoughts that went through his head as the lock-down started, the perspective from 3.5 hours inside his classroom and when they finally got bussed to the church, how the staff has gone about coming back together this week, and his fears about bringing the students back next week.
It was a lot to hear. My heart broke all over again for him, his colleagues, his students, for his community. Certainly not what one expects for a date, but I am glad that's how it worked out. In an odd way, it felt like I was able to do something by just being there to listen. He mentioned donating to a fund for the students as a way that the rest of us can help; I will update this post with information on the best way to do that when I find out.
That's it for now. No punchline, no funny witticism, just a plea to pay attention to the children around you -- hug them a little tighter, be there for them when they are hurting. Also, please take a moment to thank the adults who work every day to keep our children safe. As teachers, we drill for scenarios like this all the time, but hope that we will never have to use those lock-down protocols for real.The staff at this school did an incredible job of protecting students and keeping them calm for nightmarish hours on Friday, and I hope they know how heroic they are. The hardest part is still to come for the Marysville-Pilchuck staff and students. Please hold them in your hearts in the coming weeks.
