Polimom’s AC (Adorable Child) is very sad tonight — and what’s breaking her heart isn’t something I can fix.
She’s losing her teacher. Not just any teacher, but the very special person who helped give voice to her dreams and tapped into places she didn’t know existed.
Under his tutelage, she soared.
Letting her cry tonight — knowing how she’ll miss him — brought back memories of my own childhood. I remembered the fourth grade teacher who made me love fractions (what a gift she had!), and the music teacher who encouraged me to compose and perform.
Wherever those educators are tonight, I hope they feel my warm, grateful thoughts… because they helped me yet again, all these many years later. I was able to bring them to life as I explained to AC that the gifts her teacher gave her — burgeoning confidence, and a truly impressive writing talent — are hers to keep. She owns them now, just as I am still able to mentally manipulate fractions like others eat candy, or sink into melodies and play my own internal harmonies.
Teachers are such towering figures in our childhoods, and rare indeed are those who are able to touch our lives so deeply that their gifts linger into adulthood. As sad as we are about losing this generous, astoundingly talented person, AC experienced one of the most wonderful school years she’ll ever know.
So this post goes out to Mr. Connelly tonight — with deep sadness, and profound gratitude.
Thank you, teacher, for all that you gave us.
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