They want to go to New York City. Not museums. Not a festival of some kind. Not a show. Not a historic tour. They wanted to go to the New York City that existed in their mind, and I knew that meant Times Square. The New York that they would recognize from movies. And, more importantly, the New York that all their friends would recognize in the pictures they were sure to post on social media.
And then it happened: it was like it just clicked. Every kid, on their own, found something that peaked their interest. Some were skipping rocks, others just sitting and enjoying the view, some looking at the small bugs and fish they could find, and others trying to balance on logs.
After three years of teaching the same group of students, St. Mike’s hadn’t just become this legendary place to me, but for many of my students, too. They had heard endless stories about the place, had earned tons of SMC swag in my classroom, and had even met some of the people from my stories when they came to visit me. This led me and Sarah to decide to offer a spring break trip for students to visit the Northeast, with St. Mike’s being the big attraction.
There was no one else in the world besides me, Sarah, and the cool breeze on my face as we rode through an empty city feeling the freedom of our young existence in a foreign country. Possibilities were endless, our love infinite, and the smiles on our faces miles long… or at least that’s the feeling I get when I remember it.
Malayaka House is a place of infinite possibilities and is constantly changing, yet it always feels the same each time you are there. Things change because there are 36+ kids these days and they grow, their interests change, and each volunteer that visits shares something a little different. It is why this place is great to visit once, and even greater to visit often.
When I have a long race coming up, I plan to get some extra rest, more hydration, and sit a little more than usual in order to prepare my legs. Other people do a number of more extreme or elaborate things. Maisie isn’t one of these other people. She is one of the easiest to please people I know, especially when the annoyances or discomforts are for the sake of more quality time with people she loves.
“Don’t move or make a sound so you don’t get trampled by the elephant” was the only thought going through my head as I was awoken from my sleep in what I believed could have been the my last moments.
I saw Matt jump in the middle of the giant rock he was standing on, and then disappear into it. I had no idea where he went. He didn’t jump off. He didn’t land. But just submerged into the rock. Completely vanished.
Sitting around a fire with people I love is one of my favorite activities. This was one classic summer vacation activity that I wanted to share with the kids. As I walked to the fire, Dawayne came with me.
Of all the things to know about me, the fact that bagels, pizza, and pasta are my favorite foods is one of the most important. I am a Jersey boy and that is how we are trained. Arkansas is not the best place to find any of those things, so when I’m planning to travel I will start searching for great places to get my fix a few weeks ahead of time.