September 5th every year I have woken up excited, to present to my teachers gifts I had wrapped and decorated, and to tell them how much they mean to me.
August was always spent in writing various speeches which often humbled me. These speeches, I’d pass on to my seniors, who had the privilege to conduct the programs. We would eagerly wait for our senior friends to come to our class as teachers and they would hear cries about how lucky they were.
This year, the pattern changed and we were the seniors.
As I thank my current teachers for their tremendous support and helpful guidance, I think of all the teachers that led me to them.
I was a blank canvas when I first walked into long corridors with so many tiny people like myself who looked like minions. Those minions who didn’t know A B C back then have been guided and trained to become students of science, commerce and humanities. I wonder how many teachers one person represents!
I have come across so many teachers who taught me more than their subjects. A teacher’s method of teaching benefits only some of her students but her energy is absorbed by all 40 sitting in her class.
Knowledge can be acquired by reading books. Teachers serve a bigger purpose, they are our guides, mentors, role models and inspiration.
They radiate knowledge and lit candles in me. Beyond their knowledge, my teachers inspire me with their generosity, non-judgmental eye and big heart. They have taught me compassion, kindness and respect.
As a child I loved my teacher’s simply because they taught me in school. Now that I understand how much their presence positively impacts my life, my heart swells with gratitude.
On this teacher’s day, I wish to remind my teachers that they are WONDERFUL!