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Old 03-03-2008, 01:02 PM   #1
tom41
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a really nice true story


A friend sent this to me today and would like to share it with others who may not have seen this...
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 bo ld 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 ex cellent 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Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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. Th omps on 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 he r 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 th e sma rtest 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 h ighest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite 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 deg ree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite 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 tha t 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 Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)













 
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Old 03-03-2008, 01:26 PM   #2
Ozzie
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Wow...love that story. Thank you for sharing Tom.
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Old 03-03-2008, 02:32 PM   #3
randye
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Thank you for the story, it reminded me of a young man I had in a priest hood class, always in trouble at school and church. I took time to follow him home one Sunday afternoon. I had a talk with his father and found that his mother had died three years earlier. He now had a step Mom and she would not let him do things with the family, she had two kids. I would take him to sporting avents and spend as much time with him as I could. I had several other boys in the class. I of coarse lost track of him in a few years. It was four years later, I was working at the church mowing the grass and a tall young man in his early 20's came up to me. He said you don't remember me do you? I took a secound look and saw it was the young man, I had taken time to get to know. He said that I had shown him that his was worth something and had started a buisness after school and found the love of his life and had a new child. He had tears in his eyes when he gave me a hug and said I owe it all to you. I will never forget that feeling. Thats been 33 years ago, and your shareing that story brought back the memories. Thanks again, Made my day. Randye
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Old 03-03-2008, 03:13 PM   #4
fulltimedreamer
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Two great stories!! Thanks.
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Old 03-04-2008, 01:42 AM   #5
slewis
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such wonderful stories. And so neat that they aren't "stories" they are real life! Thanks for sharing.
Sandy
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