My Little Keita

Sometimes, I wonder if my kids would still remember me when they grow up. I think that is one of the worries of teachers, whether they admit it consciously or suppress it, whether they would leave a mark to their students’ lives or not. This is lame! I know! But this is a big issue for me. I want to really hold on to my kids, but of course, reality check! That is not possible, day will come that I have to let go of them, one by one. Just thinking about it, it’s terrible! Believe me!

Being with kids is absolutely amazing, being in love with them and being loved by them is one of the most incredible feelings you could ever feel.

They love you sincerely and naively

They don’t judge you

They don’t care who you are and who you have been

They believe you, even the dumbest thing you’d say, they would agree with it, just like you are the cleverest adult they knew

They play with you and take great pride if you lose to them, even if they didn’t realize it was your intention for them to win.

They are vulnerable, gullible and sensitive

And most of all, they are true people whom you can trust

They are real, what you see is what you get

I envy them, not because of their childhood and their youth

I envy them because they do not complicate things

They are passive with the temporariness of things around them

They are naïve, and all they care is to be happy.

Don’t you want to be a kid again?

Who doesn’t want to?

He didn’t start with me. I was not his first teacher. He is this typical ADHD kid, whom you literally need to chase around the room. Especially in his “hyper” days, you’d find the two of you reading on the couch, spelling while standing on the table, playing while reading, and do activities that would let him expel his energy on something. But despite all those things, I really prayed to God to have that kid. And it happened after more or less 6 months. It was an answered prayer! I became Keita’s teacher. I was so happy then!

His hyperactivity improved and is more controllable as days passed by. His performance in reading and spelling is improving as well. Everything is going smoothly, until last month, I found out that his mom who lives and works in Japan is planning to get Keita and be with her for good. It paralyzed me when I heard that from his guardian! I was asking myself, was this real? Did it really happen? Did I hear it right?

The answer is Yes! sadly, his tita really said that to me.

Yesterday could be the last day that I would ever see him. He was late pa nga, that he called me to tell me he would be late. I love hearing his cute little voice, his tagalong is “matatas” as they would say it, though is a japinoy. I was like his mommy telling him “ oh, maligo ka na dali, para di ka masyado malate, tatapusin pa natin yung arts natin”. And then when he gave the phone to his tita, I heard him say, “ Sabi ni Teacher ligo na daw ako, dali!”. Haaayyy…… One time, I remember while he was eating, he suddenly said, “ Alam mo teacher may naiisip ako!, parang ikaw and mommy ko!”. I wanted to hug him endlessly and never let go of him at that moment. If only I could…

I don’t want to say goodbye to him when he goes to Japan, but he promised me he would call me before he goes. ( naiiyak na ako…..sh*t!).Ayoko na..

Basta, I just pray that someday I’d see and talk to him again. Though, I am pretty sure he would not be the same hyper Keita that I know, pero sana he will be happy in Japan and will never forget me.