Day 9: No One Should Ever Eat Lunch Alone #SOL18

Today, I witnessed something that wrenched at my heart and melted it all within the span of a few minutes. Kids are amazing.  As I walked around talking with students in the cafeteria during lunch duty, I noticed one of our students sitting alone at one of the tables.  This student took one seat at a table intended to sit eight. 

I went and sat beside this student and chatted for a few minutes.  While the student was trying to smile during our conversation, I could see the pain behind their eyes.  Heart wrenching to the core of my being. Despite offering to let this student move or invite a friend over to sit, the student insisted that they were fine and content to stay seated alone. Internally, I struggled with this...a lot.  Some students truly enjoy having some time to themselves, yet I had a feeling this wasn't entirely the case.  I promised to check back in a few minutes and stood up to continue monitoring (while keeping a watchful eye). My heart ached.

Then, it happened. Just as I stood and started to make my way toward a student who needed my attention, I locked eyes with another student who was looking right at me with their tray already off the table and ready to stand. As I had been sitting with the student, this student had seen the pain and the downward stares at the tray.  This student had seen the loneliness of being one at a table of eight.  We made eye contact, smiled at each other, and I mouthed a silent, "thank you."  I honestly teared up at this gesture of kindness.  This wasn't an action driven from me.  It was a child who saw another child hurting and knew what to do.  Choose kind.

A few minutes later I glanced back at the table, and saw four giggling, smiling students.  There was no longer a table of one. There was a table of joy and laughter. Kids are amazing.