For the Love of Learning

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"You're off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way." ~Dr. Seuss

My very first week of college was a magical experience that put me on a path I never dreamed I could take. For starters, I was a young Air Force wife with a high school diploma (barely) and no money to go to school. Add to that the believe that even if I somehow managed to get there, I wouldn't be successful (...I hated school because I felt like I just wasn't good at it), and the odds that I'd ever become a college graduate seemed insurmountable. Two years I worked at menial jobs, all the while wishing for something "more, and then I decided to get off my butt and give it a try. I mean, what was the worst that could happen? They'd say no and I'd be stuck at the mercy of either a spouse or any job that would have me? If that happened, I certainly wouldn't be any worse off than I was with my immediate situation. I scheduled an appointment and went to see the Admissions Adviser at Wichita State University. I spent three hours with her filling out paperwork and making a plan. Before I left she said, "If you really want to do this, I'll help you find a way to make it happen." That is just what she did. She found me enough money for tuition via grants and loans, got me enrolled and sent me on my way. I swear I walked to my car in a daze! I'd done it all by myself (...with a LOT of help from a very nice lady who wasn't going to give up on me).

That first full week, the classes I sat in were like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I was encouraged to think for myself and what I had to say was treated as if it were of value! That was new and excited me beyond belief. I had a voice and it mattered! My professors gave me that first taste of what it meant to not only educate myself, but also find deep meaning and satisfaction in the learning. Many others have kept this fire of inspiration burning hot, but those first teachers lit the match.

Today is the start of Teacher Appreciation Week here in the United States. I encourage you, wherever you are to thank a teacher who inspired you. Teachers come in many different forms and are often found outside of formal classrooms, but letting them know what they meant to you is something they all could use. Personally, I want to thank all of the teachers who've nurtured me along the way (...this includes some of my students who taught me way more than I could possibly ever teach them)! Thank you is not enough, but it's all I've got except for my desire to happily pay forward the precious gift you've given me!