A high school student gave me a token for traveling to another city to hear the Honors Ensemble perform a Christmas concert in Bruton Parrish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia.

I am a college professor in San Francisco, and at the end of each semester I take a few moments to talk to my students about Life. I try to let them know how much of an honor it has been for me to have them in my class, and how humbled and amazed I am by what they are going to become (most are pre-nursing). I also let them know that while they may fail, those are the greatest teaching moments and not to be shamed by or dismissed. If they have someone that hates on them for reasons like their gender, whom they love, the melanin content of their skin, or that they are percieved different from others to hold their head high and embrace themselves for the amazing humans they are and not let that negativity creep into their psyche. I also tell them to follow their own path and passions, and they will be happier for it rather than trying to compare themselves to others or listen to those that would plan their steps for them. After class, one of my students handed me a Tikkun Token, whixh I had never seen before. It was a great honor to receive this, and I felt humbled by this gesture. Thank you for doing this! We need rhis kind of light in our lives now more than ever.