http://educate-yourself.org/cn/heartoncall20oct05.shtml
October 20, 2005

Forward courtesy of Ronald Ross <ross1113@gmail.com>

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 young 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 often 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 reviewing his long term school 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Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 cause of 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 only one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and immediately dabbing some of the
perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day --- just long enough to summon up the courage
to say, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After all the children left, she sat at her desk and cried for 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, it was Teddy who became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was 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, ranked third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, another letter arrived, 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 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 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 just 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 several years before 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 do I need to tell you 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 who would not know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines the one that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Go on, warm someone's heart today. . . you may even wish pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I reread it. Who knows, perhaps it might make a difference in someone's life today? Or tomorrow? Just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I believe they call it! " Believe in Angels, then return the favor"

Ronald <ross1113@gmail.com>

 

© Copyright 2005 Educate-Yourself.org  All Rights Reserved.