I see it in a parent as they hold the hands of their wee child and in that classic hunched over position, they encourage those first steps and cheer passionately at their success. Teacher. Someone who helps another gain knowledge, skills or values.
I’ve experienced it in the kitchen of a lady who taught me how to make tasty little poppyseed rolls. She shared her tips and let me make some rather sad samples. We laughed, told stories of cooking adventures and finished with a cup of tea and a plate of freshly baked rolls. I became a teacher the day I had my first son. From walking to tying his laces, reading, cooking and even driving, I did my best. Sometimes it was messy, sometimes there were tears… for both of us… but I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. I’ve also had the opportunity to teach quilting to some amazing ladies. At times I was terrified at totally messing up and at other times I was simply honored to be able to share what I knew. When I witnessed their success, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. I have loved teaching and being taught and I’ve endeavoured to pass that on to my two sons. It’s my goal to be a lifelong learner and to encourage it in them. I remember the countless numbers of individuals who have come into my son’s lives over the years. From kindergarten, Sunday School, 4H, youth group, Bible College etc., there were some amazing teachers, some great teachers and some less than mediocre. The boys learned from them all. In every teaching or learning experience, passion makes it extra special and grace is a necessity. I now come to the real reason for this post. It’s pretty much guaranteed that at some point in time in a teacher’s life, they will be taken to task for doing something wrong. They will be yelled at, threatened with any number of punishments and generally hated. Maybe their actions warranted a dramatic reaction, maybe they didn’t. I’m suggesting that they be given a measure of grace. I’ve been witness to teachers who passionately give 100% every day. They do this in the face of kids who have learning challenges, come to school hungry, tired, ignored at home and many more things too sad to mention. These teachers haven’t given up. Their stress levels are through the roof and by the end of their days, they’re exhausted but they persevere. That in itself is worthy of that measure of grace and gratitude. I’m off to write a thank you note to a teacher or 2 in my life.