It has been a year since I have started this blog and also a year since I started volunteering at the library and what a blessed year it has been! I have met so many people and characters, went so many places, been blessed with so many new ideas, came closer to my neighborhood, went through so many emotions, created long lasting friendships, picked up so many pencils and pens, colored so many pictures, wrote so many notes, met so many parents, wrote a keep-the- library funded letter, had so many parties, avoided so many people, accepted many new facebook friends, created platonic relationships, now have more than 4 sisters and 1 brother, know my neighborhood a little more, been given thank-you notes, have been given thank-you gifts, been offered cokes, have gotten gratitude smiles from parents, learned a little more about the joy of picture books, revised my childhood, been told so many times ‘shhhh’, never kicked out the library, brought so many library books, three library reuse bags, learned new words in Spanish and Chinese and of course English, been embarrassed, been praised, been caught in rain, met someone, sat with the elderly, learned much more about the Bronx, learned how to appreciate life, able to reconnected with the tweens, screamed to by children, asked a 100,000 and more nosy questions, able to practice photography, got paid for my photography, met parents via their house windows, met parents while walking to church, never gave up, been invited to school plays, went to school plays, disciplined children, laughed with children, made new friends, created many videos, fell in love with Andrew Zuckerman, read The Taste of Colored Water to my family a 100 times, taught children my history, learned new music, learn to hate new music, learned the words to songs I always heard, learned that being younger is not always easy and being older is not easier, been invited to plant in the neighborhood garden, avoided Chess, saw so many DVD’S upon my students request, been talked about, saw my name graffiti in the girls bathroom, been given gifts, been given comments on my style of dress everyday, held children hands, played musical chairs, played telephone, created plays, had spelling bees, been hugged, been kiss on the cheek, had students who moved away, learned that all of my students are all the same, and can go on and on about what I have done but time has just failed me….

The library is closed for the summer. Supposedly, the library need new windows and it will take 5 months to get them fixed. This news came to us right after the New York Public Library said it was loosing money and was considering closing some branches. I am praying that the West Farms branch will not close.