Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Letter from the teacher

I got a letter in the mail from the newspaper today. Normally, when they send my check each month, it's in a regular envelope, but this one was larger.

My eyebrows furrowed and I scrunched up my bottom lip involuntarily and I flipped the envelope to look at the back. I'm not sure why, but I also shook it a little.

Mrs. Ellison 1968
Anyhow when I tore open the letter, it did in fact have my check, but the publisher had also included two letters to the editor sent to his attention.

I frequently get emails from readers, but it's not often that people take the time to write a handwritten
note, and send it through the postal service.

I was flattered by the kind words of both letters, but it was the signature of the second letter that brought a smile to my face. It was from my senior homeroom teacher Mrs. Dorothy Ellison.

She now lives in a senior assisted living home in north Alabama. She has the paper mailed to her. She told me in the letter that she reads my column each week and that I often make her smile.

Reading those words meant a great deal to me because she was a positive influence on me, and hundreds of other students that went to our little high school in rural Alabama.

15 comments:

  1. Rick... that is so sweet she took the time to write you... nice keepsake, sweet that you made her smile ;-)

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  2. I can only try to imagine how that makes you feel. That was sweet. Nice to share that.

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  3. Wow what a pleasant surprise! I'm sure you are very very very happy receiving it Rick! :)

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  4. Anonymous12:52 AM

    How wonderful that she wrote you!!

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  5. I can see why that would create a warm glow; it kind of joins up some dots, doesn't it?

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  6. She needs a copy of your books...that would probably make her day! How nice that she took the time to write. Funny how we still enjoy the praise from the teacher so many years later! I wish our paper carried your column.

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  7. Wow, it doesn't get any better than that. No wonder your column makes her smile.
    You can't put a price on that.
    JB

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  8. Heartwarming.....

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  9. You definitely made this woman's day...I know this for sure because I love to see my students succeed.

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  10. Dear Rick, thank you for sharing this story that shows so well how we touch one another's lives. And they touch ours. It is one of the gifts of life. And when that touch has been for good, it is to be treasured. Peace.

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  11. That is so sweet I just might throw up.

    Love,
    Janie

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  12. Wow, that is so cool. We never know how we touch others by what we say and do.

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  13. What a wonderful story. It's amazing how much impact a teacher can have on our lives. Thanks for sharing this!

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  14. What a thoughtful gesture! I'm embarrassed to realize, I can't recall the names of most of my h.s. teachers.
    PS - Yea for the Class of '68!!!

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