And this is what it knows: there is goodness here.
A few weeks ago, a young man from my hometown was critically injured in a high school football game. Although I don't know him, I know his family. I know my town. I know its heart. I know when it's broken.
I know when it's healing. And I know when it doesn't heal on its own. From nearly every opponent on its schedule, and from every corner of my Panhandle home, there has been love heaped upon their hearts.
My heart began here. My heart still lingers here. There is goodness here.
Sixteen years ago, I walked into my school. I met my children and my friends. My heart knew that I had come home again. There were days that my eyes deceived me. There were days my ears only heard doubt. But my heart...my heart could not be fooled.
I heard what people said about us.
I knew what people thought of us.
I felt what could become of us.
And my children and my friends, they showed me their hearts. And my heart could not be fooled.
Tonight, I watched as those children stood in honor of our dear Maria, who makes our building shine. They had not known who they were giving for -- only that it was needed to give -- and so they gave what they could, even when it meant less for themselves.
There is goodness here.
I watched as my friends handed her a check that may not solve her problems but might ease her soul even if for only a moment. And I felt her arms around me as she walked down the line of faculty members giving bigger and better hugs than any of us are strong enough to give. Monday she will show up again, the same as she has every day since before her diagnosis as well as after, ready to make our building shine.
There is goodness here.
There is goodness where I began. There is goodness where I now am.
My heart sees your heart, and my heart cannot be fooled.
Because there is goodness here.
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