Wednesday, April 16, 2008

My Inner Ducky

I'm tired and fog brained. My eyes are blurry too!! Yes, I know I need to have them checked again, but of course, typical me, I've been putting it off for the next day and the next. Sigh.

You know, with both boys out of school now, it seems like all I do is cook for most of the entire whole day. I like doing it though. Just a little momsie pampering from me. Right now they're digging into a pile of pancakes I just made. This whole house smells of pancakes...I bet the neighbors can smell it too! No syrup though. Sorry about that. Didn't realize we were out. Anchor butter will do.

While I was doing my pancake thing in the kitchen, I recalled something I read in my mail the night before. It was from Trishia, a former student of mine who just recently graduated from high school. I was her teacher for four long years.

Trisha is going to the United States. She will be our representative in the ACE National Student Convention to be held there. This convention is actually a competition amongst chosen students from around the globe vying for medals in the categories of music, arts, sports, spelling, literature, speech, history....you name it. Kinda' like a mini- Olympics. My student is a classical piano player. She is really good and will compete under the category of music.

I am so pleased a
nd happy for this young lady. Even happier that she thoughtfully took the time to write saying that she misses me ( aaaawwww...) and that she remembers everything that I have thought her. Wow!! She thanked me for having helped her those years. Someday she wishes to see me again. Sweet.

Prior to her letter, another student of mine, wrote to me a few weeks back. I remember this lovely girl and how hard times visited her family. With a father who deserted them, clearly she had no choice but to transfer to a nearby public school. I felt so sorry for her because, unfortunately, most public schools here are highly populated and not at all at par with private schools.

Well, I said most because luckily, this particular one she entered was one of the better managed ones and she was properly placed in
section one ( honors). This happened a year before I left teaching. In her recent mail, she too thanked me for being instrumental to the honor that she had recently received.


Which brings me to Mayden's post ( click external link) where she threw the question:" What do you want to be remembered for?"

That question really got me thinking.


And I'm writing this because.....well.....there are times I feel like...like...like...ummm'..a duck I suppose....waddling here and there.....quacking....gliding...

And I'm pretty sure there are a few folks out there who wouldn't be bothered to remember me...and a few who would rather
not remember me...and the really few who would remember me with a trace of
"phew' who....whatever!"

I can't be everyone's fantasy of who, and a perception of how they want me to be. I can't please everyone.


But somehow, through the letters, I felt a tinge validated about the way I've lived my life so far. There will be those who will remember with fondness...forever even I guess. We don't really forget teachers....


As for me...I miss teaching the young. Ultimately, it is they who have truly given generously. It is the youth who have taught me so much about life and about hope.They all continue to teach me....still.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Quack quack! Now foam isn't the only duck around.

Good luck to Trisha ( she shares a name with a popular and pretty actress from here.)

Yoli said...

Oh the duckie is ADORABLE, what a cute post.

jac said...

Happy to read you again Lady...its a delight you know ?

Some times I too feel that I need to be a duck, but then one fine Easter morning some one will catch my neck and I will turn in to roasted duck.LOL (sigh)

Lovely post.

beezee~bee said...

remembered s a DUCK??? lol!
ahhh...a roasted duck rice wt chilli oil and dark sauce wud be sooper rite now!!
m hungry again...s usual!

Mayden' s Voyage said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mayden' s Voyage said...

I will remember you (and presently think of you) in many ways...
when I smell brownies baking, or indulge myself with ice cream. When I look at pictures of far away islands and beautiful people- when I think of my uncle who is from Manila, and my Great uncle who lived there for a time...you will be (and are) thought of as well.
When I see a Prism- I will always think of you :)
and when I ponder how words can weave hearts together regardless of distance, time, or space...
I will most definitely think of you- and remember "Luxie" :)

X. Dell said...

Is there a possibility you might go back to teaching?

I love hearing from my former students. They usually lead very interesting lives, and get to do all sorts of fun stuff for a living.

Lady Prism said...

Sj: Missed ya' man! Ey' you quipping about Foamy coz' she's on hyber eh?..he!he! Wait till she read this..hee!hee!..

Thanks for the luck'..I wished her luck too.

Yoli: Yep'' specially for real.Thanks for the compliment.

JAc: Glad to find you blogging back JAc. Eeeeks to the thought of you being roasted he!he!

Mirror: Haven't had duck for a while..hmmmm...come to think of it....poor duckys...

Mayden: Oh' thank you for the lovely comment. I won't forget you too :>

X: Maybe someday I will go back to teaching kids. That thought makes me smile.

darkfoam said...

quack......
quacked in my best gerrrrman accent, btw..
there's nothing like being thanked by students. it doesn't happen very often, but when it does it truly does bring forth a smile and a warm fuzzy feeling. i still have my favorite thank you note from a student written about 4 or 5 years ago. this students made her own card, drew a lovely picture and then thanked me for being the best school custodian ever. she really appreciated how clean i kept the rooms. ... i was her art teacher..

Tea said...

That is such a huge compliment to you that she misses you!

tea
xo

boneman said...

I'de always heard that the best teachers were the best students, too. As well as the best of students became as the best of teachers.
I reckon teachers don't make fortunes (we'll overlook basketball coaches and such) so, to have old students wander back and tell you positive feedback...well. Y'all deserve it!

I hope you have many more of that action!

Rose - Watching Waves said...

How wonderful to be appreciated! I'll bet you were a creative and engaging teacher, lively and animated in a way that gets the students involved and into learning.