Time to Think. Time to Breathe.

Unfortunately, Marisol and I did not meet this week. I knew that I valued the time that she and I spend together; but I realized it even more today because part of my day felt empty. Meeting with Marisol has become part of my routine; and the break in the routine affected me more than I thought it would.

I had a unexpected meeting come up that I had to go to during the time Marisol and I normally meet. I called her and she was understanding and agreed that meeting next week would be best for both of us. She said that she had many tasks she needed to get done as well, so that break would allow her to get those things done.

I am relieved that I have another week to prepare for Marisol. My weeks get so busy with schoolwork and other activities. I want to make sure that I give my tutoring sessions with Marisol the time and preparation the time it deserves. She and I are continuing to work on pronunciation and sentence construction. As much as she and I try to stay on track during our meetings, we always end up spending at least half of the time talking. I am going to take this time to think and breathe. I need to collect my thoughts, get organized, be prepared all the while remembering my true purpose with Marisol - to establish a relationship.

Last Friday, during the Homecoming festivities a little girl ran up to me and tapped me on my side. I turned around to see who tapped me and glanced down to see a little girl with a big smile and curly black hair. I did not recognize the young girl but said hi anyways. Even after I said hi, she continued to stand there and stare at me. I looked up the pathway beyond the little girl and saw Marisol approaching us smiling. Marisol had told her daughter to run and catch me because she wanted to say hi. I had the opportunity to meet one of Marisol's children and her boyfriend. This experience truly stands out to me because it is evidence of our friendship and that our friendship extends beyond our once-a-week tutoring sessions.