I have this student who is cool but also (and he would admit it) a little eccentric.

Anyway, he walked up to me the other day and asked in a tremendously nervous voice, and in all seriousness, “Mr. Pierce, is it really true what the students are all saying that the person you take to your junior prom is probably going to be the person you marry.”

He was a little scared of his date.

I told him, “No. In fact, I think the chances are probably not very good of that happening, especially if you’d rather it not happen.”

He walked out of the room, visibly relieved, and this other teacher who happened to be on the other side of the room yelled, “Oh, thank God that’s not true!!!” And we cracked up laughing.

I was thinking about it later, though, about the scene. And it was still funny, but it’s also a little funny how easy it is to get caught thinking in that same way as my student.

I know I do it. It’s just so hard sometimes to see beyond the present moment, to see—through imagination—that the way things are right now necessarily is not how things will be.

That was something I needed to be reminded this week. I've got to take a longer view.