Unkown213 Posted May 16, 2003 >The Perfume > > > > > > > > > >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 put 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Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't 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 still 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 his whole 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 honors. 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." > > > > > > > > > >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? > > > > > > > > > >********************************************************************** Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SomeAlien Posted May 16, 2003 im a lil upset that it made me cry. i mistrust things that make me think with emotions instead o my head. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
