‘Sentimental Value’ for Jake’s theme

“We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility.” ~ Albert Einstein

I seriously battled with Jake’s theme this week, and had almost decided to give it a miss, but sitting at my desk this evening, I happened to open one of the drawers, and found something which has absolutely no monetary value, and is of no value to anyone but myself, and yet I have kept it for over twelve years, occasionally getting it out to have a look at it, and then putting it away again. This thing of such sentimental value to me is a pile of cards and letters given to me on my last day of teaching class music at a school in Johannesburg.

There were many tears shed that morning, as we had our last school assembly for the term. Hubby had retired and we had sold our house and were moving down to the coast. One of the other teachers had secretly coached a small group of the older children to sing that lovely but very sad song, “Time to say goodbye,” and that was the catalyst for myself, the teachers and about 600 pupils to burst into floods of tears. My eyes are becoming moist again, just recollecting it, and every time I hear this song, I remember that day.

I was given lots of cards with wonderfully loving messages,  and presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.They’d also had a collection to buy me a gold bracelet with a music clef charm, but my most treasured gift was the red handmade card from a small member of my choir. It simply said in gold lettering, “Thank you teacher for always doing your best.”

That is actually all we can ever hope to do in life; to always do our best, give it our best shot, whatever the circumstances. Don’t you agree?

To see more interpretations of Jake’s theme, just click here.