Feldenkrais Gemeinschaft

ONE OF THE BEST STORIES I'VE EVER HEARD!

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Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and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 bracel=t 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 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 highest 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
degree, 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 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.'

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr.. at Iowa
Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today.. . . pass this along. I love this
story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try t
o make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? just
'do it'.

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!

'Believe in Angels, then return the favor'