The first one that comes to mind was a professor in college who assumed I would be getting my doctorate to write and teach political science. I obviously didn’t do that directly, but I still often think of how he saw something in me then that speaks to more of what I want to be doing in the world. Then, more recently, several good friends have spoken truth to me about some hard stuff that I've been dealing with in a way that helped me to see myself and my calling in a new, more expansive way. What a gift.
And lastly, Grant is my perpetual Mr. Carpenter, although he's more like a relentlessly on-my-side cheerleader than a Mr. Carpenter, but everybody needs a Grant in their life too.
I've had a couple but this one is probably the most significant. Mrs. Parker was both my third grade teacher and then my English teacher in 7th/8th grade. When I graduated 8th grade, she awarded me the Reading Award. The reward was a blank journal, which at the time was something of a novelty. On the inside, she inscribed it, "To help you on your way to writing your first fantasy novel." While I don't write fantasy like I did in my early-teen English classes (though I still think there is one floating around in the back of my brain for someday, heh), she recognized that I was a writer and wanted to be one. Obviously she was right.
As far as reaching out to her, I have done that. Another of my former teachers came into the bookstore when I was still there and we got to chatting. She bought OSJ. Later she came back and got one for "Parker" as she called her, and I put a long inscription in it telling her what she has meant to me. Later, I heard back from the other teacher that Mrs. Parker loved it. She doesn't get out much due to health problems, I guess, so I am glad I was able to share the message with her. It really is a Big Deal.
I'll go first:
The first one that comes to mind was a professor in college who assumed I would be getting my doctorate to write and teach political science. I obviously didn’t do that directly, but I still often think of how he saw something in me then that speaks to more of what I want to be doing in the world. Then, more recently, several good friends have spoken truth to me about some hard stuff that I've been dealing with in a way that helped me to see myself and my calling in a new, more expansive way. What a gift.
And lastly, Grant is my perpetual Mr. Carpenter, although he's more like a relentlessly on-my-side cheerleader than a Mr. Carpenter, but everybody needs a Grant in their life too.
I've had a couple but this one is probably the most significant. Mrs. Parker was both my third grade teacher and then my English teacher in 7th/8th grade. When I graduated 8th grade, she awarded me the Reading Award. The reward was a blank journal, which at the time was something of a novelty. On the inside, she inscribed it, "To help you on your way to writing your first fantasy novel." While I don't write fantasy like I did in my early-teen English classes (though I still think there is one floating around in the back of my brain for someday, heh), she recognized that I was a writer and wanted to be one. Obviously she was right.
As far as reaching out to her, I have done that. Another of my former teachers came into the bookstore when I was still there and we got to chatting. She bought OSJ. Later she came back and got one for "Parker" as she called her, and I put a long inscription in it telling her what she has meant to me. Later, I heard back from the other teacher that Mrs. Parker loved it. She doesn't get out much due to health problems, I guess, so I am glad I was able to share the message with her. It really is a Big Deal.
Love this story and the synchronicities...thanks for sharing, Chris!