Just a hangnail??

We never know about the insides. Yesterday, I had a student come to my office for a hangnail.  Most times I laugh and complain that students love to come to me for every livin' thing...including hangnails.  This time it was real.

For some reason, she's a student who has won my heart.since last year.  Dark hair, envied big blue eyes and a smile that melts me.  She brought me an adorable Christmas gift last year; many times it's all about the teachers.  She made the effort to bring a gift to her school nurse as well.  It meant so much to me.

So, I checked out this hangnail issue.  Easy-peasy.  Yet, she seemed sad, her lip was quivering and I looked up to see her tear-filled eyes. She was trying to hold it all together.  (I certainly can relate...in my previous post I wrote about trying to hold it all together.  It doesn't always work.)  So, I asked, "What's wrong, darlin'? Are you scared?  It's just a hangnail, honey. This won't hurt, I promise you."  So, I trimmed her hangnail.  Then, once again I broke the rules and said, "Give me a hug."  So, I gave her a two armed hug...for all to see.  Raised by a southern woman, you may not believe this...but I do tend to be a rebel sometimes.  I can't help myself.

So, I thought about it.  What's really behind those tears? What is her home life like?  Does she have two loving parents?  Does she have food, a bed and a warm home?  I'll never know.  What I do know is that I choose to live in the moments.  For some reason, Jesus helps me to see what perhaps some don't see in others.  I listen, I observe and I look into eyes.  Eyes tell me so much about someone.  I really care about the whole person.

These are types of precious moments that get me through my days.  More often than not...it's not just about a hangnail.  There's waaay more on the inside.