Nisha

This is the story of Nisha. Someone who reached out to Morgan -- actually, knowing Morgan, it was probably Morgan who reached out, but Nisha responded with kindness and love. Nisha is the kind of person who makes parents want to cry with happiness!

In the middle of the last school year, Morgan started talking every now and then about her "friend the lunch lady." At first I didn't pay much attention. Then one day she said she needed to take one of our super yummy brownies to her friend the lunch lady because Morgan had promised her she would. I figured Morgan was trying to get her hands on an extra one for herself, but I decided to go ahead and let her take a brownie to school just in case there really was someone she had promised a brownie to.

One day I went into the lunch room to sit by Morgan while she ate. She was excited to show me her friend the lunch lady. We stuck our heads into the serving area, and Morgan waved at her friend. I also waved. That was the first time I saw who this friend was.

A little while later, Morgan started talking about her friend Nisha. I finally asked who Nisha was, and she told me Nisha was the lunch lady. Morgan would tell me how Nisha would save a certain lunch item for Morgan because she knew Morgan would want it and how Nisha was so nice to her. Morgan ate breakfast at the school during this time, and every morning she was so excited to go see Nisha. I honestly think one of the most exciting things about school at this point for Morgan was seeing Nisha.

By the end of the school year, I realized I needed to do more than just peek my head in to see Nisha. I needed to meet Nisha and make sure she knew how grateful I was that she would befriend Morgan, and make sure she knew of the powerful positive influence she had had on Morgan. I went to the school just before the end of the year and took a picture of Morgan and Nisha together.

Apparently toward the end of the school year Morgan talked lots about her birthday and the fun birthday party she was going to have. She told Nisha she was going to invite her. Then summer came and that was the last I heard about Nisha for a while.

The day before Morgan's birthday, Morgan received an email from Nisha. Nisha said she knew Morgan's birthday was the next day and she hoped Morgan had a happy birthday. I was so shocked and impressed! Nisha had remembered what day Morgan's birthday was and took time to send her the email. This wasn't someone who was just extra nice to Morgan when she saw her at school. This was someone who truly was a special friend to Morgan.

Morgan remembered she hadn't sent a birthday party invitation to Nisha, so we sent her one via email. We didn't hear anything back, so I was surprised when Nisha showed up at Morgan's birthday party. She even brought Morgan a present -- a book of horse posters and horse pictures to color. For anyone who doesn't know, that was the absolute perfect gift for Morgan! Obviously Nisha knew and remembered enough about Morgan to get her the perfect present!

When Nisha left the birthday party, she told Morgan she was excited to see her again when school starts. I told her again how grateful I am that she has been so nice to Morgan. She said that every now and then a child grabs at her heart, and that's what Morgan had done. She said Morgan is such a sweet girl. I LOVE that she saw Morgan for exactly who Morgan is!

I'm sure this isn't the end of the Nisha story, but just the beginning. It's not possible to express how grateful I am for her and for what she has done for Morgan. Thank you, Nisha!!!

(Read about Morgan's birthday party below.)