14 | November | 2012 | SpilledCookies

Today I am thankful for teachers. I think most people go through a period in their life where they dream about being a teacher. I did. I could picture myself in a room full of children, teaching them to read, do math, history and science. I could see the decorated bulletin boards, the slide shows, and projects that I would assign. A few years I taught vacation bible school and helped my mom at the daycare, then reality hit and I realized I did not have the knack or the patience.

I am thankful for teachers being able to do the things I can’t. Thank you for your patience and teaching me to read, write and even do math (though it’s still not my favorite thing to do). Thank you for the guidance when needed. Thank you for all the encouragement even when I am not sure I deserved it.

Teachers have the ability and daily opportunity to encourage, inspire, influence and lead. I suppose in some fashion we all have the ability and opportunity to do those things, but teachers share their gifts with the age group of their choosing, and thereby help shape future generations as well as the present.

I have been blessed to have many memorable teachers that greatly influenced my life; their shared words of wisdom still ring in my ears even years later.

Thank you, Teachers, for the memories, the influence, the encouragement, the comfort when needed, the guidance and even the occasional challenge and kick in the butt to get me to try harder. I can’t even imagine a world without teachers.

Cherry Coley ©