Several years ago I was at the library in the town that I teach checking out a book when the library clerk, a young man of about 22, said he knew me and that I was his Art teacher in elementary school, over 12 years ago.  No, I didn’t remember him, since I teach over 350 students each week, but I was so pleased to hear his story.  He told me that recently he had been cleaning out a junk drawer in his room when he came across some pen pal letters he had written in 1992 when in the 5th grade.  That was the year I went to Russia, as both a teacher and a parent chaperone, one of 8 adults along with a group of twenty 7th and 8th grade students.  I had traveled to Russia with one of my luggage filled with student art and lots of pen pal letters.  His letter was in that pile.  When I arrived in Russia we spent over one week visiting a school in Moscow where my pen pal letters and children’s art were so well received.  Many of the Russian students were able to write a responding letter in the short time we were there, allowing me to bring piles of letters back to the United States in my luggage.

The library clerk said those pen pal letters changed his life as did my quest to explore the world.  Sharing my travel educational journey and connecting my students to this experience opening his eyes to teaching.  He said he was presently in college studying to be a teacher and that I had guided him to that decision.  He said he too wanted to teach others about the world and that I had inspired him to pursue a career in education.

I was so moved!  I wished him the best of luck and thanked him dearly for sharing that story as I walked out of the library with a smile and a twinkle that could not only be seen in my face but could be felt deep in my heart.

Today another similar experience occurred that made me so happy I had become a teacher.  It was the end of a rather long day and I was waiting in the lobby for the rest of the buses to arrive when two 19-year-old former students walked up to me to say ‘hello’.  I recognized their smiles.  One of the boys said ‘You know I still correspond with my Hungarian pen pal  that you had given me back in 5th grade!’  What a surprise!  It’s been over 9 years and they still write to each other, using regular mail, not even email.  I told him that I too still write to my Hungarian pen pal teacher and even though we’ve never physically met nor even exchanged photos we are friends.  I wonder if there are others that feel as these two do!  How often in life do we meet someone who has deeply moved us?  We need to tell them, to share our thoughts, our emotions.  Is there someone out there that deeply helped to shape you?

Thank you Matthew for stopping in today and saying ‘hello’!  You really made my day!

We do make a difference and moments like this reinforce my deep commitment to educate.  How fortunate for us all!