Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Today is our younger daughter's birthday.  Her celebration gets swallowed up in the holiday blitz, and now her son, who's birthday is 12 days before, draws all the energy towards that event.  She's our youngest by seven years, and I'm so grateful she's in our lives.  She's thoughtful and kind, and very empathetic, as is her husband, and they include us in much of their lives.  That she lives nearby is wonderful, and that we see her and her son at least once a week because we babysit him, is a blessing.  She's a hero.  She teaches third graders, and these are kids without much English and writing skills.  I know her devotion.  She won't give up on even one of these kids.  She has a very long day, often getting up at six with her toddler, and coming back at five, putting him to bed, then working at home while he is sleeping.  Yet she takes him on fun excursions and reads and plays with him.  I try to babysit so she and her husband can get out, but often she's too tired or pressed for prep for her class.  And we won't even discuss what she gets paid for this.  Teachers are the most undervalued workers in America.  Tonight we go out with her, our son-in-law, grandson and our son and his wife, who also lives nearby, for a tiny celebration and a meal out.