The teacher ALWAYS learns more than the student

I feel like that is a valid statement. If you have ever taught anyone anything, you will know that this is true. You always end up learning more about yourself from your "student." I could also have titled this post something else, but I didn't want to give everything away so easily. I just want to talk about one of my "students" and my absolute favorite one at that. I cannot put my feelings all in this post because it would be absolutely impossible and I could never express everything as eloquently as she could, because she is quite a genius and has a way with words. All that aside, here I go....

For Darby

A name as unique as the girl. Probably one of the greatest people you will ever know. If you know OF her, but do not KNOW her, you are truly missing out. She is quite tall, taller than me. She is beautiful, with a beauty all her own. She is smart, probably smarter than you (definitely smarter than me). She is funny, without even realizing she is. She is just Darby and that is something really spectacular. I don't think she gives herself enough credit because she really is amazing. I met Darby when I was in 11th grade and she was in 8th. My band director introduced us and told me that I would be teaching her how to read music and play the xylophone/marimba/piano. Honestly, I was terrified because I didn't know that much myself and to have to teach someone the basics of music didn't sound like any fun at all. I had a hard time interacting with new people and I was not looking forward to helping this little 8th grader. I can say that I am so grateful that  I was given that wonderful opportunity. After we warmed up to each other, I realized she was a quick learner, and by quick I mean road-runner fast. I was amazed at how fast she picked things up. As we got done with the basics we actually got to know each other. She told me of her crushes and I laughed as she blushed. I told her my stories and she laughed as I blushed. We laughed, probably too much for band class. We got to the band concert and she outplayed me and that is a fact. We spent the summer apart, but there were Facebook posts and messages exchanged. There were jokes of Mick Jagger/John Mayer and Stephen Spielberg. Once we started marching season, I got to watch her play that bass drum (like a boss) while I waved my arms around on a stand, which I still don't think I ever deserved. I encouraged her and told her that she as awesome because she rocked sunglasses on the competition field because she got kicked in the eye the night before and STILL competed. She boosted me up and hugged me as I cried after those disappointing competitions. After all that was over, it was back to concert band and she was beside every single day. We were lunch buddies. She ate those dang pizzas every day and got me addicted to them. I would make her go the vending machine to get me fruit snacks that never came out. (EVERY TIME) During band, she would tell me of her boy troubles with boys that were not good enough for her. I listened, tried to advise, and she still knew all her music better than I did. Besides the  boy drama, we had fun and lots of it. Whether it as laughing at Swanson or dancing to Celtic Ritual, which still makes me giggle, there weren't many dull moments... besides me occasionally falling asleep on the marimba. That freshman became my best friend. She pushed me to better because she was better than me. She outplayed me at EVERY single concert and that made me really happy. As my senior year came to an end, I was saddened that I would not get to stand next to Darby everyday and watch her play that marimba with ease. This year, Darby got to conduct (my) group of 7th graders and that made my heart so happy that I could burst. Darby is also going to the NC School of Science and Math, aka a school really smart peoplez. I couldn't be more honored to call myself her friend. So Darby, Darbles, Darbster, my apprentice, my right hand (wo)man... thanks. Thanks for making me laugh and cry. Thanks for listening to me and letting me listen to you. Thanks for always being there for me. Thanks for teaching me more about myself. Thanks for being you. You are and will always be one of the coolest most amazing people I know. Never think you are not good enough because you are. You are wonderful in every way possible. You are my hero and I mean that. Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.  I love you and will love you forever.

-M. Philly

In Erin's Dreams.

That was the title of the document saved on my USB... I thought I would share the raw thoughts of my bestest best friend. I laughed quite hard at this and she is possibly going to kill me for posting this, but it was just too good not to share. Excuse the lack of grammar and spelling... This was from a couple years ago. (11th grade I believe) There are 2 different stories, so be prepared for the awesomeness... you may want to put your pee-pants on.

"I dont have dreams about you i dream about puppys and bunnys floating in the clouds and they say to me ERIN ELIZABETH HICKS ur are the coolest person i have ever met and your freaking amazing then they fly away. after they leave than this pink bunny with lime green ears comes hoping along and says to me erin i wish i could be like u, oh and ur friend madeline is a loser and she is JUMBO SIZE. but wait there’s more................. Then i grow wings and fly all around the world and u will never guess what i see???? i see a statue of me in every state and people were mesmerized at how beautiful and AMAZING this statue was!"


"so the other day i was you know just walking down the street and minding my own business and taking my sweet little ole time when I suddenly came upon..... dun dun dun aaaaaa rhino. i was like really a rhino thats AWKWARD. so i just kept on walking... u know like any normal person would do. than out of the corner of my eye i saw cupid flying through the air and he looked so perfect and beautiful i was MESMORIZED i mean people dont see cupid everyday. Than out of no where a gangsta with a JUMBO SIZED attitude rolled down his window of his bat mobile and shot cupid all the way ^
down down down down
i started crying and just didnt know what to do people would never believe me if i told them that i saw cupid die I mean come on now this just doesnt happen in everyday life to a regular person.
than his body floated up to the sky i looked at the gangster with my stink eye and ran away of course i didnt want to get shot like an arrow (do you get the symbollism)
welll anyways i ran all the way home and on my doorstep was an easter basket and i became a liitle suspicious considering it was not easter time. i looked inside the basket and than i grabbed the blue easter egg and BBOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!
hhahahahah just kidding silly i didnt die or anything because im the one telling the story i wouldnt kill myself are you like retarded. how could i be telling you the story now if i was dead
or maybe just maybe.........
IM A GHOSTTTTT!!!! BOO!!!!
and i will haunt you in your dreams and i will be able to see you drool in your sleep all over your jumbo sized pig tattoo
welll thats the end of my story just thought i would tell you"

I hope you enjoyed Erin's dreams... I know I did! Now, I will leave you with my favorite picture of her... that she happened to take with my laptop...

She is pretty precious. Well, I hope we have provided you with a laugh or at least a smile. Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon, oh and tell your friends, too!

-M. Philly

Live, laugh, love

Today has been a little unusual. I am on spring break, so it's has been very nice to sleep in, but it is throwing my brain off from my usual routine. I woke up at about 11:30 to my mom calling me to clean out the microwave, which is probably my least favorite thing to do, but I woke up to find something that made my heart a little weary. I check Facebook to find a status saying "RIP Jesse." For those of you who don't live in the Boro don't know Jesse, but he was an a young man who lived in Roxboro a year or two ago and he was diagnosed with Leukemia in December of last year. Truth is, I don't think I ever met Jesse, but I knew who he was. (That's how it is here in Roxboro... everyone knows everybody even if they haven't seen them.) I don't know all of the details of how his condition was, but I knew that not too long ago he decided he didn't want anymore chemo and decided to just live his life why he was still here. When I woke up to find those few statuses, my heart sank. I quickly went to his blog and read a post that said he had been watching the ‘Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives’ and was researching some of the hot spots and his mom said maybe they could eat at some of those restaurants. I just thought to myself, he wasn't be able to do that and so many other things. I thought of all the students at RCS and knew that the school was just at a stand still. I kinda just sat and thought for a minute and then went about my day, but he just kept popping into my head. I couldn't quite grasp how I was feeling. Later on I went to practice for "Pirates of the Chemotherapy," an absolutely life-changing and beautiful show that I am so thankful to be a part of. I shared the news with my fellow cast members and I was amazed at how quickly they wanted to help or to do something, seeing that the show is about a cancer support group. After we went through a scene, we took a break and we were talking about death. Sounds lovely doesn't it, but it actually was. They were all talking about losing loved ones, but how peaceful it was because they all knew God was real and that He was going to welcome their loved one's with open arms. I was overwhelmed with the spirit and peace. I knew that today was Jesse's day and that he is happier now than he has ever been. God has a plan for us and he knows exactly how our lives are going to pan out and when we are going to return to him. That is the beauty of the plan of salvation. I know that when we die, we will still be with our family and loved ones and we will have the opportunity to learn and teach about Heavenly Father and Jesus. It is such a comfort to know that.  I am so blessed to have an eternal family that I know I will have with me forever because my life would SUCK without them. I know for many people, Jesse's passing is going to be hard to deal with, but you just have to think about how happy he is to not be suffering anymore and that Heavenly Father needed him right now. God works in the most mysterious ways, so make sure to listen to the promptings of the Spirit and live for Him. Live today like you are going to die tomorrow, because you never know when God is going to call you home. There are so many things I need to work on to become the person I know Heavenly Father wants me to be. I need to act now. I need to live every moment trying to do His will, not my own because I KNOW if I do that, then I won't have to fear death or anything at all. The Lord will take care of me and you if we do that... I promise.

http://jessesjourney.wordpress.com/

This is the link to Jesse's blog and it is something to read. That family is an inspiration and their faith amazes me the more I read. I will be praying for his family and friends and I hope you will be too. Just remember to be like Jesse and celebrate life every single day.

-M. Philly