With our collective days bombarded with news stories of killings, riots, international strife, etc., I wanted to pass along something that happened to me today which will hopefully make everyone feel as good as I did.

As some members know, I am a high school teacher, working with a mostly rural demographic of students. My school does have some "city" kids, and many of them are from tough backgrounds. I teach a remedial class of students with different learning disabilities, where I have a particularly strong connection with one young man. He's a good kid, has made some bad decisions, but is trying to pass and earn his diploma. I have worked with him for two years now as a teacher and mentor, and have seen his positive progress in real time. Anyway, before class today (the last day before Christmas break) he came into class and handed me a large, wrapped box. He was obviously excited for me to open it, which I did. Inside was a brand new Jimi Hendrix hooded sweatshirt ... my greatest artistic inspiration. I was at a loss for words, as the sweatshirt is an officially licensed Hendrix product, it must have cost $40 plus shipping ... a king's ransom for a student to spend on a teacher. He told me that he knows I'm always cold and he figured my generic zip up was getting old. It brought tears to my eyes to see how thoughtful and generous this young man was to someone he obviously felt impacted his life in a positive manner. A simple act such as his reaffirmed my motivations for becoming a teacher, and showed me that a single example of kindness around the holidays is enough to blunt all the other negativity that permeates society. I went home feeling that I'd earned my paycheck for the year.

Although a week early, I wish you all a wonderful holiday. Peace, happiness, and good health to our Forum community.

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I'm with the banned ...