Little Miracles

(This is a piece in progress.  More of a draft, a partial list I jotted down this Sunday morning.  My inspiration come from the children I work with at my school. I'm sure anyone of us is capable of witnessing more of these everyday life's little miracles. 
Love & Peace,
Fatima)

Little Miracles

To have little hands slipping in my hands or pulling down my shirt, my sleeve to get my attention

To crouch on my knees to be at face level, eye to eye to listen, to comfort and to hug

To have two little hands frame my face to be able to speak directly in my ear

To show up in the cafeteria, in a classroom or in a hallway and be swarmed by children not competing for hugs but offering them generously and freely

To witness a smile, a happy, sad, tired or a hesitant smile but a smile nonetheless on a child's beautiful face any minute of the hour for six, seven or more hours a day, ten or more months a year and to believe that maybe, just maybe I had something to do with it

To see, never expecting it would ever happen, little Monica run to me offering a first hug merely three months after the beginning of the school year

To be called habibti by children who don't even speak Arabic but know the full meaning of this term of endearment

To happily shed the cloak of authority figure and be me, an adult sure, but just plain old me

To be greeted every morning by assalamu alaikum and a handshake by young Somali male students

To sit in the lunchroom at a table with students from all four corners of the world and not even notice that little fact

To wake up every morning and know for every story of struggle, heartache and pain, they'll be many more stories of resilience, hope and healing

To wake up every morning and be guaranteed a most beautiful gift that day, the gift of laughter

To be invited to a soccer game, to a game of tag during recess on a beautiful autumn day and be able to say the heck with paperwork, I'm joining in the fun

To walk the halls of the school holding a trusting little hand in mine and feel the love and beauty of life

To hear from young children I love you, ana bahebek, te amo, je t'aime and to say it back meaning every ounce of it

To hear from older children neither I love you, nor ana bahebek, te amo, je t'aime in words but still feel the love nonetheless

To know that I can love that much that many and still have room to love so many more that much and more ...