Tara Johnson-Smith 1989

7/31/2016

Betty Lou Blumberg provided a pathway to using words wisely! With each novel read in her class, we learned to appreciate the words, not just the story, but the actual words expressing feeling and intent.

I talk a lot, so using my words wisely is a gift from Mrs.Blumberg. And so she gave me a love of words.

Just as she has a place in my spirit, many of the words learned in her class have a place as well. I never left her class “flummoxed. ” In my eyes, she was so poised and confident in everything she taught. She knew things. She knew meanings beyond the words in those books. She had vision.

One such impactful moment that comes to mind is what I call the Black Coffee moment. I came into her class and couldn’t focus because I was not feeling well at all. I couldn’t even sit in my chair. I made every attempt to ball myself into a knot. I was wringing my hands and punching myself in the thigh; I was just hurting.

Mrs. Blumberg left the class and returned with a cup of hot, black coffee. She gave me the cup, sat me in her chair at her desk, and calmly said to me, “One day you will have beautiful children and you won’t even think about this pain; it will be worth it, I promise.”

Still in pain, I sat and drank the coffee. I calmed down. She would not excuse me from class. I had to push through. She made sure I didn’t miss the lesson.

Years later, when I birthed my first daughter, I remembered that day. I endured 19 hours of labor, far more extreme than the pains I felt in class that day. I recalled when Mrs. Blumberg calmed me with her very effective words. I remembered the taste of the coffee and felt the warmth of the cup on my lips. But more than anything, I remembered her caring words. My daughter was beautiful and that pain was worth it.

I learned to love the words but to read beyond them; To be confident in sharing and be unafraid to question words chosen.

Thank You, Betty Lou Blumberg.

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Tara Johnson-Smith 1989

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Hamden, Connecticut 06517
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Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.