Teddy Stoddard's Life Story

> > ONE OF THE BEST
> > LIFE STORY !
> >
> > 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 she loved
> > them all the same. However, that was impossible, because
> > there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little
> > boy named Teddy Stoddard.
> >
> > Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not
> > play well with the other children, that his clothes were
> > messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition,
> > Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs.
> > Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers
> > with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a
> > big 'F' at the top of his papers.
> >
> > At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each
> > child's past records and she put Teddy's off until
> > last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a
> > surprise...
> > Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a
> > ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...
> > he is a joy to be around..'
> >
> > His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well
> > liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his
> > mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a
> > struggle.'
> >
> > His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on
> > him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't
> > show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him
> > if some steps aren't taken.'
> >
> > Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't
> > show much interest in school. He doesn't have many
> > friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'
> >
> >
> > By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
> > herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her
> > Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright
> > paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily
> > wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery
> > bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of
> > the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh
> > when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones
> > missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.
> > But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and
> > dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard
> > 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 that very day, she
> > quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she
> > began to teach children.. Mrs. Thompson paid particular
> > attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed
> > to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he
> > responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of
> > the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that
> > she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one
> > of her 'teacher's pets..' A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy,telling her that
> > she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six
> > years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He
> > then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his
> > class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
> >
> > Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had
> > been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck
> > with it, and would soon graduate from college with the
> > highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was
> > still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his
> > whole life.
> >
> > Then four more years passed and yet another letter came..This time he
> > explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he
> > decided to go a little further. The letter explained that
> > she was still the best and favorite 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 letter that spring.
> > Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married.
> > He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago
> > and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at
> > the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the
> > mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess
> > what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several
> > rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing
> > the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing 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 you
> > so much for making me feel important and showing me that I
> > could make a difference.. '
> >
> > 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 I
> > could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach
> > until I met you.' (For you who don't know, Teddy
> > Stoddard is the Doctor at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that
> > has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
> >
> > Warm someone's heart today. .. .Random acts of kindness
> > Just try to make a difference in someone's life today or tomorrow? just 'do it'.
> >
> > "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."