Marry Teacher

I have a class of third graders who sometimes call me "Gyul-hohn Teacher" which is Korean for "Marriage Teacher." They normally call me Mary Teacher, my English name, but they like to think they're brilliant by reminding me not to become an old maid.

One of these third grade students, Sarah, had a dream about me and she told it to the class today. It was filled with details and colors, I loved it. I'll try to recite it as close to how she told it...

During class one day I told all the kids that I was feeling really sick and had to go home. So I asked if Sarah would take me home. At my apartment, I put on a white wedding dress and veil and handed her an invitation that said, "Mary will marry, will you come to my wedding?" Then I kept making comments about how beautiful I looked.

So we got into a car that was decorated with balloons and drove to the wedding hall where the groom was waiting. He was chanting, "Mary, Mary, Mary...!!..." dressed in a red suit and yellow tie with "Mary Mary Mary Mary" written all over it in blue print. A co-teacher later figured out he might have been Ronald McDonald.

The person marrying us did the exchange of vows. He asked McDonald if he would take me as his wife and love me forever and Mac's response was, "I don't know." Then I was asked if I would take Mac and love him forever. I said, "um...maybe, maybe, maybe." Apparently, I always say that to my students, um maybe. I just kept saying how beautiful I was. Then I ran away, into the car, with Sarah. Mac ran after me, jumped on top of the car to make me laugh, landing on a balloon and popping it.

Then somehow we ended up back in the classroom but this time I was still in my wedding dress, veil, and holding a bouquet in front of me. I announced to the class, "Tomorrow, I'm getting married. Will you come?" And the kids all asked me if I would say yes to the question this time, and I just kept chanting, "Maybe, maybe, maybe." I then mentioned how beautiful I looked.

What a dream. I don't think I've ever really talked about my love life, sick days, or beauty with them before. Anyway, the entire class was laughing. Then I asked her if the man was handsome and she said he was cross-eyed and was wearing large-rimmed red glasses, under a mass of puffy hair. He also had a large hoop earring in one ear, and a small heart-shaped stud in the other. And he just kept chanting, "Mary, Mary, Mary," with this marching gesture with the arms.

Later, she told me that when she told her mom about the dream, her mom said that maybe I was going to get married this year. I asked Sarah how it made her feel when she found out I was going to get married in her dream. Children are so honest. She said it made her feel sad because it could mean that I wouldn't teach her anymore. How precious is that? But how real too...and I realized then that her dream was significant for me to hear as it reminds me that my singleness is precious. It's true, if I were getting married now, I may not be able to stay with them.

I'm like most single 24 year-olds, wishing for a soulmate, but I think for now, I'm okay with the maybe's. Sarah's dream was an insightful one, showing me that I have her and the other kiddies to love and enjoy for now. And maybe McDonald will show up sooner or later, but it's going to be okay without him right now. I do have a feeling he's out there somewhere, but maybe it's just not timing for me to meet him yet because I have a lot more to love in myself and to love in others. Plus, it may not be timing for him either, as he might have to tone down the colors a tad. Although, I must say, he sounded pretty hot to me.

Anyway, I'm glad I'm Beautiful Marry Teacher to my loves.