Coincidences

I think I have written before about small coincidences that seem to occur in my life, but let me recount a few of them here and then add a new one.

Sometime last fall, I was alone in an unused classroom, writing comments in student diaries. They always go faster if I work alone. Out of the blue, a student of mine appeared in the doorway; it was not time for her class so I was surprised to see her, and even more surprised because at the moment she appeared I was reading her diary.

I bought some new stickers last month because they were beautiful butterflies. I give stickers to my younger students when they complete their homework, and I always put the on the back of the students' hands (as a hygenic measure). When one student chose one of the new stickers, and when I put it on the back of her hand, I was surprised to see that she had a drawing/tatoo of a butterfly. My homework sticker fit into the middle of her drawing.

A new one. Preface: I have been at this school for 1 1/2 years and no student had ever asked me for a toothpick. But that's what a student did last week. He came running up to me at the teachers' room, and said, "Teacher, may I please have a ________?" He said the word in Korean, but I knew what he meant, and I said, "Do you mean this?" and I held up the toothpick that I was holding in my hand. He was more startled than I was. "Yes!" he said.