Happy Ending

Josh's reading skills improved from grade 2 to grade 8 after intensive instruction, 2 hours a day, for 3 weeks. Still not perfect, but his mother reported that he started baking cookies because he discovered he could read the recipes. He also started reading the newspaper. Josh felt like part of the human race- something that he hadn't felt for along time. I have to admit I was some relieved to see that the students were getting the results that the Calgary Academy was getting. I knew then that leaving the school system to do this work was the right move for me.
To bring this story to a close, let me say that I was in the front seat, cheering loudly at Josh's high school graduation. His parents called me when a few years later, Josh graduated from a trades college with the top student achievement award in his field. I heard a few years ago that Josh had bought himself a new truck and had a really cool apartment. He was working full time and loved his job. And just last year his mom called to tell me that Josh had applied for a new job. She laughed and admitted that she was worried about him filling in the forms etc. but that not only did he do it on his own, he impressed the employer in his interview and got the job.
After I hung up the phone I thought back to that wrenching tearful phone call from Josh's mother 10 years ago. Its hard to put into words what I was feeling; it was a sort of quiet amazement that this whole thing unfolded the way it did, and a profound sense of gratitude that I got to be a part of it.