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Jean Thompson stood
in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school
in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she
looked at her pupils and said that she loved each of them the
same, that she would treat them all alike.
And that was impossible because there
in front of her, slumped in his seat in the third row, was a little
boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the
year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children,
that his clothes were unkempt and that he constantly needed a
bath. And Teddy was unpleasant. It got to the point during the
first few months that she would actually take delight in marking
his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then highlighting
the "F" at the top of the paper biggest of all.
Because Teddy was a sullen little
boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either. At the school where
Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's
records and delayed Teddy's until last. When she read his file,
she found a surprise.
His first-grade teacher had written,
"Teddy is a bright, inquisitive 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 had penned,
"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 had noted,
"Teddy continues to work hard but 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 had
commented, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest
in school. He doesn't have many friends and often falls asleep
in class. He is tardy and could become a more serious problem."
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the
extent of the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all
she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before
the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus again
on Teddy Stoddard.
Her children brought her presents,
all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except Teddy's, which
was clumsily wrapped, in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored
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 cologne.
She stifled the children's laughter while she exclaimed how pretty
the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume
behind the other wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed behind after
class 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,
and writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children.
Jean Thompson paid particular attention
to one they all called "Teddy". As she worked with him, his mind
seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster
he responded. On those days when there would be an important test,
Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year
he had become one of the highest achieving children in the class,
and, well, he had also somewhat become the "pet" of that teacher
who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.
A year later she found a note under
her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd
had in elementary school, she was his favorite.
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 his favorite teacher
of all time.
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 graduate from college
with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still
his favorite teacher.
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 his favorite teacher but that now his name
was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard,
M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You
see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he's
met this girl and was 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 in the pew usually reserved for the mother
of the groom.
And on that day, she wore that bracelet,
the one with several rhinestones missing. And on that special
day, Jean Thompson smelled just like the way Teddy remembered
his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.
THE MORAL: You never can
tell what type of impact you many make on another's life by your
actions or lack of action. Consider this fact in your venture
through life. |
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