This is not my story, but I found it has a valuable lesson.

Hope you all enjoy it.




ONE OF THE BEST STORIES I'VE EVER HEARD!

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 pu 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withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 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 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 honours. He assured Mrs.
Thompson that she was still the best and favourite 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
favourite 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.'

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the
Doctor at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard
Cancer Wing.)


Warm someone's heart today. . pass this along. I
love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it.
Just try to make a difference in someone's life today?
tomorrow? just 'do it'.

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!

'Believe in Angels, then return the favor'


Peace

__________________
Life,
j-angel

aka GP purrie kittie attack cat!


My Little Grow LST'ing w/Hardware

My Outdoor Odyssey 2008 BONSAI MUMS

My Little Grow Indoor To Outdoor 2009

Oh man and I just put my makeup on,, What a lovely story, I love hearing that a child was cared for and not just tossed aside and on to the next grade, Thank God for teachers/people like Mrs.Thompson,, They do make a difference not in just one persons life but in many as her loving heart started the chain of kindness and love, Thank you for making my day Jangle

__________________

I do believe that's a lump in my throat.

What a beautiful story - and it's very poignant if you are in a position to teach.

__________________
-Michael

ooohhhhh, weeeee, how sweet!

__________________
Roseman
When you grow with Mother Nature, you Grow with God.
May Peace and Joy Be Your Companions.
[FONT=Arial]Ask me about DWC, CFLS, and Indoor Growing.

I may not have any make-up on to ruin, but now I'm going to have puffy eyes and a red swollen nose all day... thanks a lot!

Seriously, though... what a beautiful story. It gives me a little faith in mankind, which has been tested a LOT.

__________________
All bigots will be reincarnated as gay homeless people of color

Lisa, no matter what, I am sure you will always be beautiful. Stick around here or at cannalink and I am sure your faith will be fed and it will grow.

peace babes.

__________________
Life,
j-angel

aka GP purrie kittie attack cat!


My Little Grow LST'ing w/Hardware

My Outdoor Odyssey 2008 BONSAI MUMS

My Little Grow Indoor To Outdoor 2009

this is a good story. you can not judge a book by its cover. every one need love.

__________________
Disclaimer: I do not buy, sell, cultivate, manufacture, or use any illegal substance. Any postings I make on this forum are purely for entertainment purposes. Any pictures that I may post have been created by artificial means from images gathered from the internet and other sources. Any statements made should not be considered truthful.

Love it.
Love it.
Love it

Reminds me of my fifth grade teacher - Mrs. Carder! Yes, those are tears on my cheek!