Changing synonyms

This semester, it is safe to say I have had one of the worst experiences with a professor in my entire university career. I won’t bore you with details, but let’s just say I was already searching for synonyms of “abysmal” for course evaluation.

But that all changed today. I have crumpled up and thrown out my mental list of complaints and ready to forget. Here’s why.

Today I needed to explain why I was going to miss the most important week of the course in November on top of needed to change the due date of an assignment. I was terrified.

I sheepishly approached after class and began my plea with the most forceful and convincing opening line ever:

“I’m sorry I am being so high-maintenance about this but…”

Just what every prof wants to hear. . .

Two stern eyes bore into me and I spit it out:

“My sister has been in treatment in Utah for the past 4 months for anorexia and I need to go to a Family Week as part of her counselling.”

The prof looked at me as if I sucker punched her and her eyes filled with tears.

You know that feeling when someone looks right at you and you just KNOW that they totally and completely understand you? That is what happened, right there.

There have been so many gentle, kind, generous people along the way of this journey with my sister who have said wonderful things, but very rarely can someone look directly at you and you can see they have cried over the same things as you.

So now I am almost crying.

She says, “I know how you feel. I have a sister with anorexia.”

I nod.

“It is devastating for the family too, isn’t it?”

I blink hard, wondering where on earth this HUMAN came from? Who knew that prof’s, especially the surly ones, were people too?

I nod again.

“So you just hand it in when it works for you. I will send the notes from the classes you miss. Don’t worry about a thing. You just go there and be with your sister.”

I thank her and walk out. As much as I was utterly frustrated with her earlier in the term, I simply cannot muster up animosity anymore. I saw her as a real person, and not just that, a person with the same heartaches as me.

Didn’t learn anything during that class, but I did learn that prof’s are people too.

Now I can focus on my baby sister and help her to realize that she deserves to have something on her plate. 

 

EDIT: On a totally unrelated note, I am back to running for real now! I went on a run again yesterday and had NO pain. I did a race-pace 5Km, (as in, I did it in about 20 min. )I think I even giggled at one point. Signs of addiction or insanity. Hurrah!