It was a strange-looking envelope, made even more so by the fact that no one in the house has a birthday in early May.

Who could be sending a card?

I didn’t recognize the return address, though the name was ringing a distant bell.

To top things off, there was a lump in it.

My surprise was made sweeter when I saw that it was a thank you card from one of my fifth-grade students. Our religious education year just finished, and she had missed the last class.

Her mom, I’m sure, is responsible for the card that’s still on my counter. And her mom took the time to write a little note in the card, too.

Being a catechist is a huge commitment. It’s often thankless. You have to have lessons and materials prepared, go with the flow when things don’t turn out as they should, and rely heavily on the Holy Spirit.

What gets me through is that I really enjoy teaching and I do so love the ages I work with. Even so, getting that thank you card sure makes it easier to sign up for another year.

image credit: MorgueFile