A heartwarming story

[Guest guest]

I found this while searching a website and thought I

would share it.

stood in front of her fifth-grade

class on the very first day of school in the Fall and

told the children a lie.

Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said

that she

loved each of them the same, that she would treat

them all alike.

And that was impossible because there in front of

her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a

little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. had

watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't

play well with the other children, that his clothes

were unkempt and that he constantly needed a bath. And

Teddy was unpleasant.

It got to the point during the first few months

that she would actually take delight in marking his

papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then

highlighting the " F " at the top of the paper biggest

of all.

Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one

else seemed to

enjoy him, either. At the school where Mrs.

taught, she

was required to review each child's records and

delayed Teddy's

until last. When she opened his file, she found a

surprise.

His first-grade teacher had written, " Teddy is a

bright, inquisitive 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 had penned, " Teddy is

an excellent

student, well-liked by all 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 had noted, " Teddy

continues to work hard but 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 had commented,

" Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in

school. He doesn't have many friends and often falls

asleep in class. He is tardy and could become a more

serious problem. "

By now Mrs. realized the extent of the

problem, but

Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do,

with the school

play and all, until the day before the holidays began

and she was

suddenly forced to focus again on Teddy Stoddard.

Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful

ribbon and bright paper, except Teddy's, which was

clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a

scissored grocery bag. Mrs. 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 cologne. She

stifled the children's laughter while she exclaimed

how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and

dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed behind after class just

long enough to

say, " Mrs. , 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, and

writing, and speaking.

Instead, she began to teach children. Jean

paid particular attention to one they all

called " Teddy. " As she worked with him, his mind

seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the

faster he responded. On those days when there would be

an important test, Mrs. would remember that

cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of

the highest achieving children in the class and, well,

he had also somewhat become the " pet " of that teacher

who had once vowed to love all of her children

exactly the same.

A year later she found a note under her door,

from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd

had in elementary school, she was his favorite.

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 his

favorite teacher of all time.

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

graduate from college with the highest of honors. He

assured Mrs. she was still his favorite

teacher.

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 his favorite teacher but

that now his name was a little longer. The letter was

signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was

yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met

this girl and was to be married. He explained that his

father had died a couple of years ago and he was

wondering if Mrs. might agree to sit in the

pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And

on that day, she wore that bracelet, the one with

several rhinestones missing. And on that special day,

smelled just like the way Teddy

remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas

together.

THE MORAL: You never can tell what type of impact you

may

make on another's life by your actions or lack of

action.

Consider this fact in your venture through life.