What really touched me is your statement that I helped in some small way to make you a person of conscience.

I am writing to tell you that you had a profound impact on my development as a sentient human being and a person of conscience, of caring.

I am prone to hyperbole, but I am not using it here.  *profound.*  I will do great things one day, and you will hear about them (and me), and when you do, I want you to know that you were the best thing that ever happened to me.

I can think and I can speak and I can articulate my thoughts, logically and provocatively, because of you.

You sacrificed selflessly to make me and others sentient beings, in the best sense of the word.
Most of the great literature I read in my life I read in your class.
You have much to be proud of, and I thank you.

Peace, hippie lou aka david


David, your timing could not have been better in sending such encouraging words. I really needed to be reminded that we teachers have made an impact for the good on those we attempt to teach.

What really touched me is your statement that I helped in some small way to make you a person of conscience, one who cares for his fellow travellers in life's journey.   It's messages like yours that mean so much more than any paycheck that the impersonal school system issues.  You are such a considerate young man in offering your thoughts on the impact I may have made on you and, I hope, your fellow chassmates.

I'm willing to bet that I don't have to wait to hear about the great things you have done with your life since we last saw one another.  Knowing you as I think I do from your days at Whitman, I expect that you have already achieved true greatness.  If you'd care to share, I'd love to know more details about your life these past few decades. (Just saying that makes me feel old.)

I still enjoy what I'm doing.   I occasionally get a chance to teach some of the great literature I loved teaching when you were in my class.  Needless to say, I don't miss grading all those compositions and research papers.  I do miss coaching forensics.  You guys on the forensic team were my best students and the ones I most miss.  We had some great times, didn't we?

I'll look forward to hearing from you.  And, yes, peace!