LOVE WITH FIRST TEDDY ....

A CUTE TEDDY .....



As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth.

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that sheloved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there inthe front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named TeddyStoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didnot play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy andthat he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could beunpleasant.

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

At the schoolwhere Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child'spast records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when shereviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with aready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is ajoy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is anexcellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubledbecause his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be astruggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard onhim. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show muchinterest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren'ttaken. "

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn'tshow much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and hesometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized theproblem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when herstudents brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbonsand bright paper, except for Teddy's.

His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that hegot from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in themiddle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laughwhen she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing,and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume . But she stifled thechildren' s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was,putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on he r wrist. TeddyStoddard 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 thatvery day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead,she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention toTeddy.

As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more sheencouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddyhad become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite herlie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one ofher "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, tellingher that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Sixyears went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrotethat he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was stillthe best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that whilethings had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck withit, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. Heassured Mrs.

Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Thenfour more years passed and yet another letter came. This time heexplained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go alittle further. The letter explained that she was still the best andfavorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer....The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letterthat spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to bemarried.

He explained that his father had died a couple ofyears ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit atthe wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother ofthe groom. Of course, Mrs.Thompson did. And guess what? She wore thatbracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she madesure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his motherwearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson' s ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank youso much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make adifference. "

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said,"Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that Icould make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in DesMoines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warmsomeone' s heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so verymuch, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference insomeone's life today? tomorrow? just "do it". Random acts of kindness,I think they call it