So I am mentally and physically exhausted from all of you! I am suffering from kindness fatigue.
Today I woke up and felt like an idiot. I was having major regrets about making my story public. As I said to my husband this morning, writing this blog made me feel a little vain and extremely uneasy. Let me start by saying that my biggest priority in life is my family. Right now, I want to do anything I can to protect them and I am worried that all this attention will in some way be harmful or draining on them. And honestly, it might. But...
How can I not let them be exposed to kindness? How can I not let them be aware of the amazing community we live in? How can I not let them see how teenagers are truly capable of making a big difference in the lives of others?
As I said to a former student today, I am used to helping out with a cause. I never thought I would become one.
I've tried my best to respond to many of your words of kindness today but frankly, I can't get to everyone and I am so overwhelmed by it all that I am running out of words.
So please, I ask that all of you divide the following words up amongst yourselves. I'm not a math teacher so I can't tell you what fraction of them you get. However, I am an English teacher so I can tell you that there is no figurative language being used, no irony, and by all means no hyperboles inserted (Raney students, you best know what a hyperbole is!):
Thank you. I truly have the most amazing family, friends, students, coworkers, and community members. I am grateful for each and every one of you. I love you.