Acts of Kindness
I suppose we all had teachers along the way
that made an impact in our lives, I know I did.
This story begs to be shared and I will do just that without much more
than this humble introduction, enjoy.
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"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 Hospital 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". The best is yet to come….
