I had my first seriously dramatic encounter with a parent tonight. I have to admit that I'm still a little shaken up over it. I don't think anyone has spoken to me in that way since I was a child. I felt like a child. I felt responsible. Well, I was responsible. I tried to apologize, and eventually the parent calmed down and apologized too. But I've never been put in such a difficult position. In the end, we were all crying--the student, the parent, the teacher--and it felt horrible. But it was resolved, and I felt like God enabled me to handle it with grace. I tried hiding the fact that I was choking up, and I think I was pretty successful, but I bawled afterwards for awhile. It was a huge learning experience, and I hope that I'm a little more stable in similar conversations that will inevitably take place in the future.

I knew that this would happen eventually, and I'm glad that I went through it. But I did not enjoy it at all.

Welcome back to school.