All Girls School

The teacher who lied

I do not own this specific story.Credits to the respected owner:

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. 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 her seat, was a little girl named April Young.

Mrs. Thompson had watched April the year before and noticed that she did not play well with other students, that her clothes were messy and that she constantly needed a bath. In addition, April could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking her papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of her papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put April's off until last. However, when she reviewed her file, she was in for a surprise.

April's first grade teacher wrote, "April is a bright child with a ready laugh. She does her work neatly and has good manners... she is a joy to be around.."

Her second grade teacher wrote, "April is an excellent student, well liked by her classmates, but she is troubled because her mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

Her third grade teacher wrote, "Her mother's death has been hard on her. She tries to do her best, but her father doesn't show much interest and her home life will soon affect her if some steps aren't taken."

April's fourth grade teacher wrote, "April is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. She doesn't have many friends and she 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 April's. Her present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that she 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 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 her wrist. April Young 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 April. As she worked with her, her mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged her, the faster she responded. By the end of the year, April had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, April became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from April, telling* her that she was still the best teacher she ever had in her whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from April. She then wrote that she had finished high school, third in her class, and she was still the best teacher she ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, she'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. She assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher she had ever had in her whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time she explained that after she got her bachelor's degree, she decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher she ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, April F. Young, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. April said she had met this man and was going to be married. She explained that her father had died a couple of years ago and she was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the bride.

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 April remembered her mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Young 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, "April, 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, April Young is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Young Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. Try to make a difference in someone's life today? Tomorrow? Just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I think it's what they call it?

"Believe in Angels. Return the favor."