All It Takes Is One

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This old gal…

Was watching a news segment…one of those feel-good stories…reconnecting teachers with former students…former students celebrating teachers who they say believed in them…

Each was interviewed…each told their story…a quote by one educator hit home for teacher-me…

“You teach 4,000 kids in a lifetime,” he said. “All it takes is one to say you made a difference to make it worthwhile…”

Got a box in the mail a few days earlier…a surprise gift…a special gift…a gift from a former student…

Met her first in kindergarten…cutest little thing…sweet, kind, hardest worker ever…

Have watched her grow up…a beauty in high school…hear from her now and then…still sweet…still kind…still a hard worker…

And in that box were two gnomes…colorful…fun…adorable…with a note written by her mother…

“We saw these and knew you would love them…”

You teach thousands of kids in a lifetime…and it only takes one…

One to reach out…one that makes you feel special…one that remembers you well enough to know that yes indeed, this old teacher loves those happy gnomes—and will always think of those special students of hers when she sees them…
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And those daughters of mine…agree…