Giving Thanks Where Thanks Is Due

We have all encountered many teachers throughout our career as students. Each teacher impacts our lives in some way or another. However, there are those rare teachers that leave a lasting impression. For me, those teachers were Ms. Uhl and Mrs. Trainor.
A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of meeting up with these two women for lunch when I was visiting my childhood hometown of Palm Desert, Calif.
Those two hours at lunch, the three of us were reminiscing on moments from those years I had with them in the classroom.
Mrs. Trainor taught me patience. She taught me that it was fine if I didn’t get something right the first time and to stop getting so frustrated. She taught me persistence and instilled confidence in me to never give up.
The best thing she ever did for me was teach me how to be a good person. She worked with me every day to keep my bee out of the beehive on the behavior wall. I had my fair share of moments in the beehive like every kid does (sometimes I still get myself stuck in the beehive at 22-years-old), but I finally learned the meaning behind the saying “think before you speak or act.”
Ms. Uhl showed me how to be resilient when my emotions tried to get in my way. Like Fergie sang, “big girls don’t cry.”
She assigned Virginia to me for my state report. Little did I know at the time, but Virginia was going to be my new home after school let out that year. The report gave me the opportunity to learn about my new home, because the east coast is very different.
She even taught me some professionalism that year when I tried to wear a two-foot fake ponytail from my dress-up box to school one day (I think I forgot to mention I went to a Catholic school).
These two women instilled in me the importance of relationships. Whether the relationships are personal or professional, every connection matters. Building a strong network is the key to success.
Thank you, ladies.