A bee was buzzing near the window desperately trying to escape into the beauty of the first warm day of the year. The spring sunshine and soft breeze brought a scent of freshly mown grass into the room. Jessie felt her eyelids grow heavy and paused in writing her notes. The professor's voice droned on paused a moment and then boomed out.
'So that is why when you make a loud noise you can see if these children suffer from what is known as Sensory perception deficit. '
Jessie broke out into uncontrollable giggles. Her shoulders shook and she bowed her head to hide her face.
The young man sitting next to her leant forward and whispered in her ear.
'What's so funny? Share the joke.'
' I'm so sorry I've always had this problem. Something strikes me as being funny for no apparent reason and I'm off.'
It was true, she thought of all the times she had been sent out of class at school for giggling at inopportune moments, a teacher's bad breath, serious cello playing, a lorry backfiring on the road outside the school. It had caused her a lot of problems, offending people who were surprised by her reaction.
The young man held out his hand.
'I'm Jake. Pleased to meet you.'
'Jessie, nice to meet you too.'
'What's so funny? Share the joke.'
' I'm so sorry I've always had this problem. Something strikes me as being funny for no apparent reason and I'm off.'
It was true, she thought of all the times she had been sent out of class at school for giggling at inopportune moments, a teacher's bad breath, serious cello playing, a lorry backfiring on the road outside the school. It had caused her a lot of problems, offending people who were surprised by her reaction.
The young man held out his hand.
'I'm Jake. Pleased to meet you.'
'Jessie, nice to meet you too.'
They smiled at each other then turned towards the professor.
Jessie looked sideways at Jake. He had such a kind face and his voice held a gentleness that warmed her heart. She looked at the hairs of his arms curling over the cuff of his blue shirt. She wanted to stroke his cheek.
She was surprised at where her thoughts were going. She shook herself and tried to concentrate on the lesson.
Her attention was caught when she realized that the professor was talking about the average six year old.
This was the reason she was on the course. She was determined to be a good mother.
'In spite of his demonstrations of self sufficiency the six year old is sensitive to his surroundings. If his mother is ill or he finds her weeping, he is a pattern of kindness and comfort.'
Jessie fought back the tears. She pinched her nose hard and took deep breaths. Jake's hand found hers and she looked up to see him smiling at her with such warmth and sensitivity she found herself smiling back.
The seven year old on the other hand generally takes a more realistic view of his surroundings. His imagination is more reflective. The gravity of reality is entering the child's life. I would just like to point out here that it has been demonstrated that it just takes one person at any stage to either heal or harm.'
Jake's eyes didn't leave her face for a moment and his hand gripped hers.
'Right everyone that's all for today. Next week we're going to be talking about the significance of the mother and her fundamental role in the child's ability to pass through the various stages of development without profound disturbances.
A child shows early its need for human company, and the old view of the mother's significance in this aspect is being confirmed all the time.'
There was a scraping of chairs as everyone prepared to leave. The professor raised his voice.
'I'd just like to wish you all success on this course. It's not always easy for mature students who have a family or a full time job. Please don't hesitate to ask me for any help.'
The professor walked towards the window and opened it then waved his papers so the bee found his way out into the sunshine.
Jake stood up and gathered his bag. He held out his hand.
'Would you have time for a coffee Jessie?'
Jessie grasped his hand as a life line and nodded through her tears. The professor's words rang in her head, Just one person to heal or harm. Her world shifted on its axis, she felt a lightness in her heart and a weight lift from her shoulders.
There would be time to tell Jake about her little son Ben and about his father who ran off and left them taking all their money for his drug habit, about the mother she had never known who had given her up for adoption and the foster families and the bullying. But she'd tell him quickly, she wanted to get on with life now, a life full of kindness and love, laughter and fun, where resentment, bitterness and regrets were unwelcome guests.
'I'd love a coffee Jake. Please let me treat you.'
'
'
Jessie looked sideways at Jake. He had such a kind face and his voice held a gentleness that warmed her heart. She looked at the hairs of his arms curling over the cuff of his blue shirt. She wanted to stroke his cheek.
She was surprised at where her thoughts were going. She shook herself and tried to concentrate on the lesson.
Her attention was caught when she realized that the professor was talking about the average six year old.
This was the reason she was on the course. She was determined to be a good mother.
'In spite of his demonstrations of self sufficiency the six year old is sensitive to his surroundings. If his mother is ill or he finds her weeping, he is a pattern of kindness and comfort.'
Jessie fought back the tears. She pinched her nose hard and took deep breaths. Jake's hand found hers and she looked up to see him smiling at her with such warmth and sensitivity she found herself smiling back.
The seven year old on the other hand generally takes a more realistic view of his surroundings. His imagination is more reflective. The gravity of reality is entering the child's life. I would just like to point out here that it has been demonstrated that it just takes one person at any stage to either heal or harm.'
Jake's eyes didn't leave her face for a moment and his hand gripped hers.
'Right everyone that's all for today. Next week we're going to be talking about the significance of the mother and her fundamental role in the child's ability to pass through the various stages of development without profound disturbances.
A child shows early its need for human company, and the old view of the mother's significance in this aspect is being confirmed all the time.'
There was a scraping of chairs as everyone prepared to leave. The professor raised his voice.
'I'd just like to wish you all success on this course. It's not always easy for mature students who have a family or a full time job. Please don't hesitate to ask me for any help.'
The professor walked towards the window and opened it then waved his papers so the bee found his way out into the sunshine.
Jake stood up and gathered his bag. He held out his hand.
'Would you have time for a coffee Jessie?'
Jessie grasped his hand as a life line and nodded through her tears. The professor's words rang in her head, Just one person to heal or harm. Her world shifted on its axis, she felt a lightness in her heart and a weight lift from her shoulders.
There would be time to tell Jake about her little son Ben and about his father who ran off and left them taking all their money for his drug habit, about the mother she had never known who had given her up for adoption and the foster families and the bullying. But she'd tell him quickly, she wanted to get on with life now, a life full of kindness and love, laughter and fun, where resentment, bitterness and regrets were unwelcome guests.
'I'd love a coffee Jake. Please let me treat you.'
'
'
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