Good teachers are all around us. Great teachers, ones who live with you long after you have become an adult, come along rarely. And this is to honor two of them. One, a high school teacher, the other an elementary teacher. But both had such an impact on the lives of their students, an impact that will always be remembered in their communities and beyond.
"To teach is to touch a life" How very true. We become teachers not because it is a just a job. It is a true vocation...a calling. We feel it in our hearts before we even step into a classroom on our own.
And these two women were so dedicated to their lives of teaching it was not hard to tell what a difference they would make.
Tributes are written now that they are gone. How she loved her students and went the extra mile to see that they felt important and wanted. How she put in extra effort to make sure that her pupils were well prepared. Listening. Offering advice. Caring. That servant's heart that we all seek in our life. These two women had it all.
It is hard for me to write these lines. One of these teachers was my very best friend. Last week we talked about how she taught her students about shadows on Groundhog Day. Always creative. Never willing to let any opportunity pass to teach and love and touch her kids with kindness and hope for the future.
The other teacher was so involved with her students. Especially those who needed extra help. She recognized their strengths and helped them find a way to succeed. When I interviewed her about one of her pupils, her eyes shone with unshed tears as she described this young woman's potential. A true teacher...always with the future in mind. What a wonderful asset.
And so we say good-bye. Tears flow. We miss them. But their lives live on in what they helped to mold. Futures bright with promise. Bright stars shining above. Guiding these people to a better way and fuller lives. A true legacy. And one of which we can be proud.
Rest in peace dear friends. Until we meet again.
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