What does 'success' mean in YOUR life?

In pondering my 'successfulness' as a teacher over this last few weeks, God reminded me of one very profound moment that stands alone in the sheer power that it had over my overall view of 'what I do.'

While in my first job, about 6 months into my second school-year, I found myself walking down a hallway on my way to the staff room which, in public-schools, is known as 'venting central.' I'd had a bad day and needed to 'share' about it with whatever unfortunate soul happened to be on a break, too.
As I began to walk--utterly consumed with my frustrations and thoughts of 'why…why did I want to go through nearly seven years of college to do this un-rewarding job'--I ran into my vice-principal. Without hesitation, she grabbed my arm and exclaimed 'Oh! I really need to talk with you about something, do you have a sec?!' Hiding my inward negativity to the best of my present-ability, (being that she was my boss), I squeezed out a smile and said 'Of course!'She then proceeded to ramble on about one of the boys in my choir…how poorly he's doing academically, in school…blah, blah. I hate to admit it now, but I was so consumed with my own state that I didn't really even hear all that she had to say. I just kept smiling and nodding, if nothing else but out of respect for her authority. As she went on about this young kid and HIS struggles, I could feel my attention drifting back to the same selfish question--WHY AM I DOING THIS?!! Lord knows I don't get paid enough.

All of the sudden, I heard my name and tuned back in just in time to hear her say '…and I said to him, Mrs. Ziebart? Are you sure you want her to mentor you, cause I know she's reeeeally busy and already very overwhelmed.' Then she smiled, grabbed my hand and said 'Then Hayley, do you know what he said?' I shook my head and she replied, 'He said, I'm sure Mrs. B.C.--she's my first choice, but only if you think she'd want to be.'

Never ceases to amazing me how life cold-cocks us when we start thriving and thinking too much about ourselves! 

In that moment, it was as though my entire bad day along with all others before it was whisked away. I suddenly found myself thinking, wow…maybe I have succeeded at something. Maybe I am making a difference, and maybe even in the midst of what feels like the most unsuccessful and worthless day imaginable, one student may feel they've learned something from my class or may have even been inspired to do or become something that will change how the rest of his life unfolds. 

As it turns out, my shyest, quietest and most reserved boy chose me as his mentor just because of one class experience we'd had with one another as student and teacher.

The celebrated success from this story however is not that I accepted his request, but is instead the profound teaching-value that I gained from him requesting me.

We don't teach to become the 'most loved teacher of them all', or to earn gifts from them, or even for all those sweet little 'love notes' they may send our way. In fact, those things are not the true testimony that we really achieved anything.We must instead come, ready to teach those who want to learn--teaching in creative and fresh ways---and thriving on the simple faith that we will touch the lives of our students that are supposed to be touched--whether or not we ever receive 'proof' that we that we did.