Illustration created with ChatGPT (AI-generated).
She stands at the front of the classroom with her arms stretched out to illustrate the size of the giant imaginary card she is holding. Her voice rises as she says, “See this? Proof? Proof that you love me!”
My quirky 11th-grade English teacher stands before my class, a short, slight woman full of life and enthusiasm. She has our full attention as she uses her story of how she reminds her husband of his love for her during an argument to demonstrate the power that words hold to express thoughts and emotions.
My English teacher was easygoing, funny, and respected by her students. I saw my fellow students show up in class in ways I hadn’t before. They wrote, read aloud, and turned in assignments eager to find out what she thought of their work.
She had a background in theatre and wasn’t afraid to act out scenes as she read to us, changing her voice to play different characters. She brought back read-aloud time, which I had not enjoyed since my elementary school days. I still remember her voice as she read Lord of the Flies and acted out Simon’s character, holding up her arm as if she was threatening Piggy with a spear.
I recently watched a new adaptation of Lord of the Flies, which brought the book to life.
She believed in me and I’m still writing because of her
I wrote my heart out for this teacher. She encouraged me and even wrote that she expected to read a review of a novel I would write in the future.
I used to imagine my name in the newspaper with a photograph of my published book jacket. I imagined her checking book reviews to see if my name would finally show up. I worried about publishing under my married name instead of my maiden name. How would she know it was me?
I still have those papers from over thirty years ago and treasure her handwritten feedback. I’m sad that I put everything else ahead of being a writer. She saw something in me that I believed in too, but I didn’t pursue my dream of writing the Great American Novel.
We don’t always know how much we inspire others
I will always remember her for her spunk, wit, and unselfconscious quirkiness. She was also the first person to tell me I could be a writer. I want to make her words come true.
I wish she knew the impact her words had on me and that I still think about her more than 30 years later. This teacher was part of my life for one year, and I have carried her memory with me for over 30 years. I am still writing because she helped me believe in myself.
I am now pursuing a minor in writing at MTSU as a way to honor the dreams that I held when I was young. These dreams were pushed aside while I pursued being a mom and a wife. And now I am returning to myself.
