Commitment

Retirement is making me lazy.  I told my husband yesterday that I didn't like making commitments.   I like  to get up in the morning and then see what evolves for the day.

I remember years ago our older son interviewed an assistant pastor at our 4000 member Presbyterian Church in North Carolina.  He asked him what was the most difficult part of his job.  His answer?  Counting on volunteers who don't always make a commitment and show up.

When I was working, I didn't have much choice as to whether I went to work or not--whether I slept the night before or didn't, whether the roads were icy or not, whether I had a good attitude or not.   Commitment was not a choice.

This morning I had a commitment to be a reader at Tarkington School.  This was my fifth Tuesday of reading with M, a first grader.  Last week she expressed concern about getting to Level I before the end of the year or else she'd have to be in first grade again.  I had some concern also because she seemed to be stuck at Level D or E with books that were far too easy for her.    Apparently M lives with her mother five days a week and her dad two days and somehow the signing off of homework gets forgotten.  I was ready to be her advocate and ask for harder books if needed.  But her teacher gave us a more difficult reader this morning and it was challenge enough.

As we were reading, I mentioned that I had read one of the stories with A the previous week.  A was an extra assignment because my other student, a third grader,  was taking I Step tests.  M was quite put out.  "You're not A's reader, " she said. "You're MY reader."    Later she said, "I love to read" and then added, "with you."

Commitment?  I think I better keep that commitment.  It means a lot to a little girl and this morning it meant a lot to me as well.