Conquering Obstacles (Part 39--The Broom)

Nine months had passed, and I decided it was time to get back on track, which meant returning to college and receiving my degree in December, a year and a half later. There was no big celebration, no announcements, no college pictures, and no formal graduation ceremony. But for me, it didn't matter. It would have put me in front of hundreds of people who would remember the young lady staring at the floor hoping not to trip going up the stairs and awkwardly walking across the stage to receive her diploma. It was another blessing in disguise.

I hadn't dated at all in the past two years, not even while living in Yellowstone National Park during the summers. I just had no desire to be a part of that scene. Chances were slim to none that I would ever find that "true" friend I had been searching for off and on these past years. It would only lead to heartache.

I considered myself fortunate to find a teaching position (in January) in a rural school not far from Billings. The high school was comprised of 35 students; and I taught business courses as well as a sophomore English class, which included a section on public speaking. I personally enjoyed my "speech" course in college, especially since I had the "Take me or leave me--I am who I am." attitude on life.

I felt more comfortable in front of the classroom than I had initially anticipated. There were no stares, glares, points, or giggles from my students. They appeared to accept me for who I was and asked no questions. Most of their attention was drawn to Kip, the new sophomore boy in school. He had come from the Yellowstone Boys Ranch (a home for incorrigible, troubled boys) to live with a foster family who would hopefully adopt him.

One particular day in speech class, the students were to give an impromptu speech on a topic they would draw from a box. They would only have 30 seconds to organize their thoughts before giving the presentation. When it was Kip's turn, he drew his topic, glanced quickly at it, and headed straight to the podium. His topic--a broom.  His presentation went something like this:

Having a broom is like having a very best friend. It comes in all sizes and shapes--tall, short, square, round, or just in between. It comes in all different colors--white, brown, black, yellow, red. Like a friend, it's always close by. When you've made a gigantic mess of things, it will be there to help you pick up the pieces. A broom is like having a very best friend.

Here was a troubled young man who was trying to put his life back together and giving us a life lesson on friendship. Kip taught me that day that I should not give up my search for a "true" friend. He might be very close, perhaps just around the corner.

To be continued...