The Teacher & Little Teddy Stoddard

 

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 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 still 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 that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it".

Fakta menyedihkan dibalik lampu merah

Kenapa ya ada yang tega mengeksploitasi anak nya sendiri. saya tidak habis pikir, ini sebuah pengalaman nyata ketika saya turun kejalan, disebuah sudut kota yang banyak sekali hilir mudik kendaraan datang dan pergi silih berganti. semuanya nampak dalam kehidupan dan kesibukan masing-masing. Ketika itu di siang yang teramat panas, saya duduk di sebuah gardu tua yang sudah lama tidak terurus lagi. Saya duduk sendiri yang memang kali itu adalah pengalaman pertama saya. Tidak perlu saya sebutkan apa yang saya lakukan disana. tapi satu hal yang membuat saya sangat terharu.

Dunia ini seperti terbalik, si anak sibuk mencari nafkah si bapak asyik bermain domino di sebuah tempat yang tak jauh dari tempat si anak yang meminta-minta di pinggiran jalan lampu merah. Sayapun bertanya dalam hati, kemana si emaknya kok gak ada. saya terus mengamati dengan rasa penasaran saya, dari jauh saya melihat seorang ibu tua yang bekerja membersihkan kaca mobil yang berhenti karena lampu merah. Ya tuhan, lusuh sekali ibu itu, pakaiannya yang nampaknya seminggu sekali baru ganti, begitu juga si anak yang baju seragam merah putih yang masih melekat dengan tas kecil di punggungnya, hitam legam karena panas terik matahari.

Saya semakin penasaran, berlagak dan bertingkah seperti layaknya tim penelusuran yang melakukan pengintaian secara diam-diam, jam pun sudah menunjukkan pukul 5 sore, si anak dan si ibu yang lusuh tadipun berkumpul di mana sang bapak yang menurut saya "tidak punya hati nurani" itu menunggu. Seperti layaknya seorang juragan yang dengan penuh semangat meminta setoran kepada anak buahnya. si Bapak tadi pun dengan sigap memeriksa semua kantong anak dan istrinya itu.

Maaf, saya bukan menguping, tapi jaraknya memang terlalu dekat dan saya mendengar semua perkataan yang dikatakan si bapak tadi. "gimana sih, kalian ini kok makin lama makin menurun gini semangatnya, biasanya satu hari bisa dapat seratus ribuan perhari" kok sekarang cuma 50rb saja? apa yang kalian lakukan disana". ya ampun...dalam hati saya. tuh bapak bukannya sakit, badannya sehat dan segar bugar, kenapa tidak bekerja menafkahi keluarganya, malah memanfaatkan wajah belas kasihan si ibu yang membersihkan kaca mobil yang sedang berhenti di lampu merah dan juga si anak yang dengan seragam merah putihnya, meminta-minta belas kasihan si pengemudi kendaraan. Bener-bener sosok pria yang tidak bertanggung jawab.

Coba saja mereka mau bekerja sama, saling bahu membahu, dengan menghasilkan 100rb perhari, mestinya hidupnya sudah lumayan berkecukupan, hampir sama tuh dengan gaji karyawan di perusahaan swasta, malah bisa lebih besar. tapi kok masih tetap meminta-minta.

Ini seperti sebuah fenomena, banyak orang yang mengandalkan belas kasihan orang untuk meraup keuntungan dengan mudah tanpa harus bersusah payah mencari pekerjaan yang memang sangat sulit. ada juga anak muda yang sehat, segar bugar, malah menuntun orang tuanya yang buta dan tak bisa melihat untuk meminta-minta.. kemana aja tuh anak muda. malah membuat orang tua susah. yang muda itu harusnya lebih bisa bekerja keras membantu orang tuanya, bukan malah memanfaatkan kelemahan orang tuanya untuk meraup keuntungan.

Yang satu ini juga pemandangan yang mengerikan, segerombolan anak muda yang katanya "punk" itu pesta minuman keras, padahal jaraknya dengan pos polisi cuma beberapa meter saja. memang sedikit cerdik. minuman keras tersebut di tuang dalam botol air mineral. jadi biar gak kelihatan. padahal jelas-jelas saya melihat dengan mata kepala saya sendiri. Segerombolan pemuda tadi kedatangan seseorang yang tiba-tiba turun dari mobil. membawa bungkusan yang isinya ntah apa. lalu di jumpai semua "anak punk" tersebut. rupanya adalah utusan perusahaan tertentu untuk menyebarkan brosur di lokasi lampu merah tersebut. mereka semua kelihatannya menerima bayaran dari orang tadi. tak lama setelah si pemilik brosur menyerahkan sejumlah uang kepada "anak punk" tadi untuk di percaya menyebarkan brosur mereka. eh tuh brosur malah di pendam dalam tanah semua dan tak ada satupun yang disisakan. kasian banget tuh si bapak pemilik brosur, kena tipu mentah-mentah sama "anak punk".

Kenapa sih banyak penghuni lampu merah kota metropolitan adalah kebanyakan dari kaum remaja yang masih sehat dan segar bugar, juga beberapa lansia yang betul-betul seperti sebuah asas manfaat. Memanfaatkan kondisi fisik untuk meraih keuntungan. ini tidak benar. ini merupakan fakta menyedihkan dibalik lampu merah kota metropolitan. saya yakin, kalian yang sering melintasi lampu merah pasti pernah atau bahkan sering melihat fenomena lampu merah itu kan?

Sumber : Fakta menyedihkan dibalik lampu merah kota metropolitan - Suryapost.com