The Other Side of the WindowTraveling cheaply for months in Southeast Asia, my husband and I found ourselves in Burma on October 13. This night was different. This night was my birthday. For once we were going to do something completely out of the ordinary for us. We would eat at a fancy restaurant. We wanted the night to be memorable. Little did we know how memorable it would be. We cleaned up as best we could and headed to the fanciest restaurant in Burma. As we crossed the street towards the restaurant, a group of local homeless children recognized us and came up to us asking for food and money. I turned my eyes away and gave a small smile hoping they would leave. For that I will always feel guilty. The restaurant was no disappointment. Men in clean pressed suits greeted us warmly and escorted us past the piles of beautifully displayed buffet foods. Lobster, crab, steak, fruits cut in cute little ways, and beautiful, delicious cheese, all laid out waiting for us to choose from. Dan and I wasted no time in pilling our plates high. Then we sat down to enjoy our food. Dan smiled at me from across the table as he lifted his wine glass. “Happy birthday my love,” he said. I smiled back as our glasses clinked together. I could get used to this, I thought to myself. |
Then a face pressed against my window. It was the small homeless boy from earlier. I set down my wine glass and pressed my face back against the window while crossing my eyes. This brought a smile from the boy who crossed his eyes back then squished his cheeks together making a ridiculous face. I laughed at him and tried squishing my face together as he had. Back and forth we played like this for several minutes. Then he did something, a very small gesture that would change my life forever. He reached out for me and pressed his fingers to the window. I reached my fingers toward his and pressed my fingers against my side of the window. It was then that I felt the thickness of that window. At that moment I turned and realized where I was, I saw the men in tuxedos glaring disapprovingly at me. I saw fellow travelers cutting their steak and sipping wine. Then I looked through the window and saw this homeless child. I realized that he would be lucky to get food for tonight. Even then he would face the same trouble tomorrow and the next day and if he was lucky enough to survive into adulthood what future would he face with no education or trained skills. I ached to help him. I who had access to education, to money to the freedoms this boy lacked. I was sitting on the wrong side of the window eating cheese and sipping wine.
In that moment I realized that I could spend my life keeping myself comfortable. My husband and I could live a life in which we always ate beautiful foods and sat in rooms with people in tuxedos. Or I could use the same skills and resources I have to do something to help. I can think of no better way to help others than to teach. I firmly believe that education is the best way I can possibly help others. I guide children to realize their potential and achieve their best. I also guide them to realize that they have the power to impact not only their own lives but the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. As an educator at a private international school I enable the leaders of tomorrow to make better decisions for others. In this way education reaches its fullest potential. It reaches beyond the four walls of my classroom into the other side of the window. |