A Day to Remember

The Keurig has stopped working. I haven't had any coffee. My daughter isn't feeling well and is staying home from school. I sliced the tops of two of my fingers trying to cut a sandwich roll yesterday. Last night the pizza place sent my Greek salad with ordinary black olives rather than the Kalamata olives advertised on the menu.

The weather report for the day predicts more gloom. It is not shaping up to be the best day ever.

First world problems, I haz 'em.

So let me yield some space here for something positive.

Yesterday the Chair of the Howard County Council, Dr. Calvin Ball, stopped by my husband's Music Technology class to present him with a resolution honoring his semi-finalist status in the Grammy Music Teacher Awards and his commitment to teaching music in Howard County. (Photos by Eric Solomon, Sam McCready, and Donna Pidel.)

What a wonderful thing for the County Council to have done, not just for one teacher, but for the students who were there to share in that experience and see that someone cares about them and what they are learning. Celebrating teachers--the work they do and the relationships they build--is something I think we should do more of. Acknowledging the importance that arts education has in the lives of our children doesn't just make teachers feel good. It helps our children to thrive and grow.

So, although my day today is off to a rough start, I have some happiness to hold on to.

And now I'm going to make an enormous pot of coffee.