Hungary

An eventful day...

One of my students who was in an automobile accident returned to school. I was excited to see him this morning, and told him so.

My theme this week is "What did you do on fall break?" - a simple topic, but it gets the kids talking, which is my job. Sometimes as I go around the room prompting students to speak I do not get to all the students. I knew that this would be such a day today, as I had spent time handing back a test at the beginning of the 45-minute class period.

It came around to Szilard's turn. He could speak, even though his teeth were wired shut. How was his break? Well, he spent part of it in the hospital being put back together. Amazingly he still possesses his handsome appearance. He is a bit of a "rascal" as my grandmother would have described him, a fun-loving mischief-maker.

I pulled a chair up nearby and said through my own clenched teeth, "How was your break?" He laughed with his voice and eyes. It is fun to have such a rapport with the kids that I know when and with whom I can joke around. A girl sitting nearby, listening in, started laughing as well. It launched us into an honest and candid conversation.

In a tone a bit more matured than his previous self, he said that in previous years he had not had accidents, but this accident turned out worse than the previous three. Yes, three accidents in one year! He does not remember the accident itself, but said that he was driving slower in this one, than the earlier two. Yet the result nearly took his life - and that reality is very clear to him.

His spunk is not gone - for which I am glad (I like this part of him) - just tempered. At this point HE turned the conversation toward spiritual things, which I do not bring up often in class, but the students know of my faith. He said that he knows that death is not the end. He commented that since he lived through this he knows that something great will be done through him - and I commented, "...or perhaps many many small important things." Finally he asked what I think about the dead, "Can they look back at this life?" We talked about King Saul getting a reluctant audience with Elijah. I told him that the scriptures do not say much about the deceased viewing us or communicating with us. He was eager to listen, as was the girl nearby -- and then the class period ended.

I trust that this conversation will continue. Pray that I will have a NATURAL opportunity to do so.

My only regret - and I apologetically told him so - is that I did not visit him in the hospital. He said through his wired teeth, "Oh! I wish you had! It was SO boring. ....I could not read much because my eyes did not focus well....  It would have been great to talk to you."

I am SO thankful that Szilard survived his foolish mishap. I am sad I missed an apparently great opportunity to talk to him one-on-one when he was likely very open - but thankfully he still seems very open. Pray for a natural opportunity. Would some boldness on my part facilitate such a situation?