Journal: Friday, April 21, 2006

Yesterday the mild weather reached a wonderful pinnacle. By 4:00, it must have been in the high 60’s, perhaps even into the miraculous 70’s. The sun was bright and warm all day long, and a lovely breeze was continuously swirling around the campus. I think all of us – students and teachers alike – were completely charmed by the pleasant weather. It worked its magic on me so much that I held all of my classes outside. I set up my four blue folding lawn chairs in the garden outside my classroom, and the kids brought out other chairs or sat on the grass. It was a totally pleasant experience for me, and, I think, for most of the students. Every so often, in the middle of teaching, I had to pause just to enjoy the passage of the soft breeze through the garden. I couldn’t help but notice people looking at our little group as they walked by. It must have made a pretty picture – an old teacher sitting in the sunshine among spring trees with his small group of teenage students around him. I’m not sure how much any of us learned during those classes, but they were certainly tranquil and agreeable moments for my students and me.