Murphy's Law

I love working with kids, so being assigned to volunteer to work at the Lexington Public Library as a tutor for elementary school children sounded like something I would would really enjoy participating in. My first experience at the library was most definitely a flustered one, but it was enjoyable none the less. I had planned to go for a couple hours, but as Murphy’s Law will have it, when I got to my car that afternoon it was dead, and I had to wait an hour and a half before someone showed up to jump my car. I had gotten so far as to revive my poor car, so I figured I would at least go introduce myself at the library because there was no use in walking all the way back across campus for nothing. It also just so happened that I left to go to the library at five that afternoon, and, having to travel through downtown to get there, hit five o’clock traffic absolutely perfectly and a ten-minute drive turned in to a half-hour drive.

By the time I finally got to the library, I was only able to stay about fifteen minutes. I walked in with a big smile – despite my previous setbacks – introduced myself, and asked what I could do with my fifteen minutes’ time. I expected them to be happy and appreciative that I had made the journey at all, rather, they looked at my like I was silly for even coming and responded “Nothing, you can go home.” A little bummed, I laughed it off and was on my way out the door when the most adorable little girl named Lexie walked up to me and gave me a drawing she had made. She did not know me, but that’s the thing about kids, they don’t need to know somebody to love them. No matter what kind of day you have kids always seem to bring some kind of light when they enter your life, and that is what makes working with them and serving them so worth it.

            

My following experiences at the library have been more productive and include helping kids with math and reading. However, my first trip was definitely one for the books and something I will probably laugh about and remember for quite some time. I am excited to continue to serve there and fingers crossed my car stays alive and well for the remainder of the semester.