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I Heart My Students

My students seem to be inordinately worried about me getting married. An unfounded fear, really, considering that I haven't exactly been inundated with marriage proposals lately. They ask me sometimes, "Teacher, you getting married? You fenna change your name? We have to call you something else? Teacher, you going to move away? Can I come to the wedding?" Keep in mind here that they know I don't have a boyfriend! Apparently that's not enough to keep them from worrying that I'm going to get married and leave them.

I was telling this story to some friends and someone said something like, "Oh, that's so cute that they think they'd be invited to the wedding." But the reality is that the kids are that important to me - I would love to have them and their families come if I ever do get married. Yes, I realize that theoretically, there would be someone else who would have an opinion, and between now and if/when i get married, I might change my mind. But the kids make a point of telling me that I'm like their family, and I love that.

The kids were talking about how family is more important than anything. One student asked me very seriously, "You and me is family, right?" Having been in East Oakland long enough, I knew exactly how to answer it - both the right meaning and the best way to phrase it. I said, "We're family in our hearts." It was one of the few times I've had exactly the right answer.
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