Definitely a 5 star rating.

Your love for your teacher reminds me of a teacher I knew. I was a 5th grader and she was my home room teacher. She was very pretty and had such kind, but effective ways of dealing with her students. All the students in our class adored her and studied harder because she made us feel like knowledge was the key to life. I was elated when she became our 6th grade home room teacher as well. I had a school-boy crush on her by then and looked forward to going to school each day because she would be there. I never mentioned my crush to a soul, I would have been mortified if my secret was ever revealed.

She moved away from our small town, but returned on a visit some years later. I was a college student by then. She and her husband came to a party that my mother was holding at our house. When she saw me she seemed delighted that I was now a young man attending college. She smiled a in a knowing way as she told me she knew I had it in me to make something of myself. I was thrilled to hear her compliment, but was too shy and tonque-tied to tell her how her teaching and love of knowledge had given me the impetus and confidence to be a good student. How often in my life have I not said what I should/could have? Too often, I’m afraid. That you and your teacher are still in touch is very beautiful.

A few years later I was deeply saddened when I learned she had died of cancer. That was long, long ago, but I know her love of teaching and children attracted me to her and her love of knowledge. How different my life might have been had she not been my teacher.