I had been asked to say a few words at a luncheon for alumni recently. A former high school teacher of mine was there and as I turned away after greeting him I heard him say, “I taught her to debate.” I smiled, pleased that he remembered, because his influence was very important in my life. Good teachers stand as markers in their former students lives, even over decades. We measure ourselves in part by our reflection in their eyes. They are the ones we go back to and hope they will be able to say with pleasure, “I remember her from then and I know her now.”
Greg sent me an e-mail telling me that he had earned a doctorate knowing I would be thrilled and would remember all the roadblocks schools had put in his way.
Kathy drove fifty miles over some fairly treacherous Alaskan roads knowing I would want to see that the delightful little fifth grade girl was now a lovely, intelligent, purposeful woman.
Mark had a slight smile on his face as he competently translated what I was saying into fluent Russian, both of us remembering his early struggles with school.
Teachers, those who taught me and those with whom I have worked, have been the greatest positive influence in my life. They have been my markers, the ones whose respect I wanted to earn. I am grateful to all of them.
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