Easter Sunday and Sister JosephineWritten by Ray Shay

While coloring Easter eggs with our boys on Easter Sunday, I had two thoughts. One was that our likely future President of the United States of America, Mitt Romney has it right. Sunday's are for families. I then thought about our youngest son, Ryan going into third grade, I immediately recalled Sister Josephine.

I grew up Catholic. Boy, did I grow up Catholic. Catholic school, church, even my sister became a nun and lived in a convent. Wow! As good as she was, I was probably the opposite. I found being an altar boy a challenge I was not very good at. Something's your good at while other things not so much. I never felt comfortable around the candles or walking on the altar steps. I also never got to ring those darn bells. It did not help I was so paranoid. I was always afraid I was going to trip on my white robe and tumble across the altar. All the kids from school never would have stopped laughing.

I only lasted until the third grade in Catholic school. I was secretly very happy when my mom got in an argument with a priest or someone else at the parish and pulled all four of my brothers, both of my sisters and me out of the school. Besides, I don't know how my dad ever afforded it to start with. United States Naval Aviators were not paid much back then.

I never told my mom about Sister Josephine, my third grade teacher. When I first met Sister Josephine I thought she was an angel. She spoke so sweetly and even looked like an angel. That was until the day I spelled the word, "Because" wrong. Now, whenever I write that word, I always get it right. I know why. It was because of Sister Josephine on that fateful day in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the sun was streaming so brilliantly into her classroom.

I admit I probably tested Sister Josephine a bit. Even in grade school I enjoyed talking with my classmates and making them laugh. I remember being called up in front of the class to spell the word "Because" on the chalkboard. I don't recall whether I put the u before the a or an a before the c. The laughter among my peers was the indicator that something was amiss. I thought it was pretty funny too. It must have pushed Sister Josephine over the edge. I just recall her Angelique voice changed dramatically and somewhere from her habit she drew a wooden ruler faster than Hans Solo could have activated his light saber.

I don't recall exactly if she hit me on just one hand or both. As I think back it was probably both. I still sit her and wonder how she managed to do that. I recall her command of the classroom was instantly regained and to say the least all laughter stopped. I think I was assigned to write the, word "because" fifty times that night. I recall carefully hiding the paper from my mom. The very next day, I returned to the chalkboard, bruised knuckles and all. Guess what? No more class clown. I probably looked like a "dead man walking" as I approached the front of the class. To this day, I am just glad I finally spelled it right.

Having seen children attending classes all over the County of San Diego, and the challenges teachers face, I almost wish teachers could all be issued those rulers and receive specialized Jedi Training to become proficient in the use of ruler sabers. Being older now, it is hard to admit it, but I deserved the "whacking". Sister Josephine if your alive today, you really are an angel. Anyone who teaches our children are angels and though you do not get paid enough now, I believe God understands. He will reward you for the care and love each of you give our children. Thank you.


Have a great week,

Ray & Theresa Shay