Dear Straight from the
Hearter,
Once in a while
I get an email which touches me to the core.
I am reprinting this story here because no matter
how often I read it, my heart bursts open and
tears fill my eyes. It reminds me of how each
of us has the capacity to truly make a difference
in another's life. Whether we are giving to
another or receiving from another, the truth
is, just by participating in the reciprocal
act of kindness, we can change each other's
lives. Please read this story below to see what
I mean.
THE
PERFUME
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fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn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 his whole 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."
So, are the tears streaming
yet? Mine are! It's amazing how a little love
can go a long way.
Sending you lots of love,
Sheri
