Reaching out

Ah, the sweetness of reaching out -- of feelings, first expressed.

From the seat within, the innermost fragile emotions gingerly seeking the light of disclosure -- braving the possibility of rejection, just for the pureness of sweet sincerity.

And that life-giving touch of connection.

For two years, I've been part of a mentoring program for elementary students in the inner city district. For two years, they've matched a 9-year-old student for me, pre-arranging our relationship for the duration of the school year. Both times, we have reached out and found something -- a connection, drawing us to each other -- and walked away at the end of the school year with a fondness for the experience.

This year, I decided to work with sixth graders -- older, but still eager to please, if it so pleases them. And, this year, they let us seek each other out.

We've been given a couple of weeks to do this -- a concept that sits nicely in a program plan but, in practice, we sit awkwardly across from each other and engage in a speed 'dating' ritual. Mentors in one row, mentees in another. For a minute at a time, I see the whirl of fresh, impressionable young spirits, eager to sample this Project Mentor experience. Eager to find distraction and rise above what might be lurking in their grades, their home lives, their neighborhoods ... long enough to find the one person who will really listen to them, care enough to learn the essence of who they are, their fears, their dreams.

Many of them are just bursts of energy on a pair of legs, there are those who are reticent about reaching out, and then, there are those who've already subconsciously figured out there is a relative safeness in being detached and unengaged.

At the end of the first get-to-know-you session today, I was drawn to two students: an adorable, petite bubbly girl who said she picked to join the mentor program in addition to the school band. And, she's learning to play the flute. Need I say more?

Then, there's this other girl, a little on the chubby side, in a pretty floral dress and sockless, well-worn, lace-untied, running shoes. She kept to herself and didn't volunteer any info on her own, but she perked up when she saw I was crazy amused she had three cats named Snickers, Reese and Oreo.

If I understand correctly, what will happen is that at the end of the second get-to-know-you session next week, mentor and mentee will each express their desire to match with any one person they've been drawn to. In esssence, both of us would need to come right out and say -- with the understanding that it might not be reciprocated -- "I know only this much about you but from what I know and see, I like. I think we will get along well and discover things about each other that others may not be able to uncover. Will you be my mentee/mentor?"

Whichever student I end up picking, I hope they too experience the sweetness of being the special one, the one whom I've chosen to connect with. I hope they feel the giddyness of what it means to be singled out for no reason other than just being who they are. And, I hope they look forward to reaching new heights simply because someone cared enough to reach out, connect and take a chance.

I know I will, when I am picked.