from jane: first day, third term

There is a verse in the bible which talks about
> 'mourning with those who mourn' and 'weeping with
> those who weep' and 'dancing with those who dance.'
> In essence that is what I feel my job involves. My
> job at its best that is. Today, the children who
> came back to school had lost weight, were sick and
> were so so so sad. It was totally depressing to be
> around them. They were dejected. So, we talked
> about it. What made them sad - some were sick,
> Promise's sister had been badly burnt in the
> holidays, Pingu had been burnt. We talked and
> talked and then after acknowledging and allowing
> them to feel the way they felt we could make room
> for other feelings. Some were still sad the whole
> day but some of them had some space to feel
> something else. So, we all hugged. Stupid isn't
> it. But we hugged
> each other and said 'I am so glad to see
> you.' And then there were a few smiles. They
> knew. They knew that I really am glad to see them.
> And that their friends are really glad to see them.
> No matter how sad they are, no matter how sick they
> are, there is a place which has people in it who
> want to hug them, who want to hear about their pain,
> who want to share their joy and who are glad to see
> them.