A Surprise

It was only a few months ago. I was giving a workshop to a class of adults with cognitive difficulties about how to make Christmas cards. I had been working there for 3 months at that time and my last day had come.

Sylvia, a student, came up to me and asked me to help her in the making of her card. She told me it had to be as nice as possible because she was going to give it to a very special person that was leaving that day. “Oh really?”, I asked.

“Oh yes. You also have to help me make everyone sign it like you did with Cindy’s birthday card.”, she whispered as if she didn’t want the surprise to get to the wrong ears.

So there I was, sitting with Sylvia and helping her make my good-bye card. It was so sweet to share her excitement in making a surprise for someone. She made sure I was putting the glitters on the right spot and gluing the Christmas tree the proper way. She wanted everything to be perfect.

She finally gave me the card, after we had collected all of her classmates’ signatures. I do believe she never noticed she had told me about my surprise. I didn’t say anything. The only thing I could do was to admire her kind act. Her pride was such that her eyes shone beautifully. It made my own eyes glisten.