It’s a real thing for me — the desire to be necessary. I want people to need my input, to desire my company, to find me valuable.
I know that this is a thing I need to get past, but for now, it’s kind of nice to know that no matter what, I can find someone, somehow, who needs me today at school.
A friend is out sick, and I can cover her class during my prep.
A kid has written a poem, and I can give feedback (the positive kind).
I can offer a smile. I can call someone by their chosen name. I can laugh at a joke.
They all fill that place in me that sometimes yawns open.