| allhands.archive.0403 - Message 69 |
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| Norma J Ogle juneokc3 | BELIEVE IN ANGELS | Thu, 4 Mar 2004 12:36:49 -0600 |
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NOW HEAR THIS!
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very
first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most
teachers,
she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.
However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped
in
his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and
noticed
that he Did not play well with the other children, that his clothes
were
messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could
be
unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually
take
delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's
and
then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was
required
to
review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.
However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright
child
with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he
is
a
joy to be around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent
student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his
mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has
been
hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much
interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't
taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn
and
doesn't Show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and
he
sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was
ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her
Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper,
except
for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown
paper
That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in
the
middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh
when
she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a
bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the
children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was,
putting
it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard
stayed
after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today
you
smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried
for
at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and
arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid
particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed
to
come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By
the
end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the
class
and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same,
Teddy
became one of her "teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from
Teddy,
telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his
whole
life.
Six years went by before she got another note from
Teddy. He
then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and
she
was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying
that
while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck
with
it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.
He
assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher
he
had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.
This
time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided
to
go
a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer....
The
letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet
another
letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to
be
married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago
and
he
was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in
the
place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore
that
bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made
sure
she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing
on
their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in
Mrs.
Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank
you
so
much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a
difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.
She
said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me
that I
could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at
Iowa
Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love
this
story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a
difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? just "do it".
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?
"Believe in Angels, then return the favor"
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