Daily Post : Cheat

August 28, 2016

In-response to daily post’s one-word prompt : Cheat

Each of us have been put on earth with the ability to do something well. We cheat ourselves and the world if we don’t use that ability as best as we can.____ George Allen, Sr.

I wanted to use a quote to know how much ability we have and how best we are using it. Though I can use examples of a variety of humans, whose whole life is based on cheating.

But my inner self tells me to look at myself first, can I say I’m not guilty of cheating, of course I cannot claim I haven’t. When I was teaching, I tried to tell my kids one must not cheat, it’s a bad habit. When I decided to quit teaching, I told my kids, ‘this  is my last year. I will retire after this year.’

Word got around in the whole school, I was quitting. One little girl who was in Grade Two, asked,  “Are you retiring Miss?”

I said, “Yes.”

“Please stay for two more years, I’ll be in Grade 4, I want you to be my teacher.”

From that day, each morning when I was on outdoor duty, she’d give me a big hug, “you will stay, won’t you?”

It became increasingly difficult for me to tell her I cannot stay. She didn’t forget to give me a hug, she felt somehow I’d change my mind. I didn’t, I had a sick husband who needed my attention.

When I look back I think about the little girl who so desperately wanted to have me as her teacher. I could not comply, in a way I cheated her.

………………………………………… 😦