That one little check

on the report card

to send them on

to the next grade.

Promoted

Elevated

Their wings just grew

a little more.

I had the honor

to provide the lift

they needed to fly

a little higher

than they could

before.

They imprinted

their young souls

onto my heart.

And I will be

forever

changed

because of how they

defined the year.

Made me laugh, cry, sigh, and try

harder than ever before.

That one little check

on the report card

is bittersweet joy,

necessary release

to make room

for the ones yet to come.

One little mark

can do so much.

As I downloaded each and every report card onto my laptop, reopened them in Adobe, and inserted the little checkmark into the space to indicate promotion, then re-saved each one, I was baffled how our complex, integrated, state-wide grading software could do everything within its system except insert this one little check. The complexity of that sentence was equal to my confusion. Then it dawned on me the significance of this tedious task. To promote them was the finish line, the end game – to leave them more elevated, raised to the next level. And then it seemed fitting that this one little check should be such an ordeal. Hurray to the little checkmark that gave me pause to reflect and appreciate.