"The Love You Take...

...is equal to the love you make" - Paul McCartney

So let me tell you about my 40th birthday. Well, actually it hasn't happened yet (it's Sunday). And yet, it's the best birthday I'll probably ever have. Some weeks ago, some of the music parents started conspiring to throw a birthday bash honoring my Big Four-Oh.... complete with a collection from students for a nice gift and a party. It wasn't entirely unexpected.... every year my students usually break into my office and decorate it, leaving behind little trails of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (some of which I don't find until June.) And someone usually makes the rounds to get me something nice.

This year, however, the scope and magnitude of the birthday offerings was... humbling. I mean, I got the idea that something was up, but I had no idea it was going to be as big as it ended up being! They threw the party today during lunch. I didn't even know that the music parents were on campus: They came in during my 4th period class and set up in the choir room while I was busy lecturing in AP Theory in the instrumental room next door. Then right before the bell rang, I noticed someone had come in and sat down right behind me... It was Spencer, my good friend who conducts the orchestra at a local university. He comes by to see me once in a while, so it didn't tip me off at first. But then he lured me outside, where I saw the door to the choir room open and people streaming in and out of it. That's when I realized what was going on. When I walked over and looked in, I was shocked to see how many people were there... Easily over half of the music department, as well as parents, alumni, fellow faculty, friends from off campus... oh, and did I mention that my wife took off time from work to drive over, and my mom drove from her house almost 2 hours away to attend?

One of my uber-talented alumni from last year showed up and sang a song for me (which was the best part,) and somewhere in the middle of it I was presented with the big gift: A Wii game system (with accessories.)

Okay... this is the part where I'm so overwhelmed, I'm almost paralyzed with shock.

I went to make a little speech, but it came out kind of... well, less than eloquent, I think. I said something about teachers often wondering the extent to which they are effective in peoples lives... and how I was so lucky to have this kind of feedback.

The truth is, I know what I do for these kids. I know because I've had teachers do it for me... I know how powerful the gift is. And I do get a good amount of positive, warm-fuzzy, heartfelt-feedback.... I just don't usually get it in such great quantities at one time!

Eat your heart out, Mr. Holland.


P.S. Two things tickled me about today:

1) Food services called me after lunch, they complained that their lunch sales were significantly affected by the number of kids who went to the party instead of buying lunch from the cafeteria. I apologized, and explained to them that being a surprise B-Day party organized and executed by off-campus individuals, there is no way I could have warned them. They said "It's okay" and added a "Happy Birthday" in for good measure.

2) Some of the parents actually went to Principal Palpatine to ask for permission to do this. She said no... and they did it anyway. I love that.