So I read this book. (OMG call the media, Jenelle had time to read a book!!!) It was called Consequential Strangers. The gist of the book is basically that the majority of the people and events that shape our lives, contribute to our happiness, or helped us get where we are today are not people within our family. Rather we drift through life meeting a bunch of "strangers" that give us a chance, give us hope, teach us a lesson and leave us with a memory. It asks you to make a list of the people or moments for those moments that contained many people in their production that made you who you are. So, I made a brief list. This is just a starting off point as the book of my life has yet to be written. If you made my list, chances are you will also be in my book. Congrats!
I guess I will start my list with the obvious. The following people were teachers from various points in my career. Perhaps you also had these teachers. Perhaps these teachers also shaped your life. Feel free to comment or message me if it is so. I want tons of comments on this blog!
Mrs. Noaker was my 6th grade teacher. She was the first person to ever tell me my real problem with school: I was bored. At parent teacher conferences she explained to my mom that the reason I made stupid mistakes (keep in mind at this point I was a straight A student) was that I was not being challenged enough. I tend to tone out when I am bored or just hurry through my work because it is too easy for me. Even now, I am still this way. I make stupid errors, even misspelling my child's name just to get the easy part out of the way. She decided to place me in journalism the following year. That was where I met my next teacher.
Mr. Free was my 7th and 8th grade journalism teacher. He was also the teacher I chose to come back and do my cadet teaching with. I think he had to be my favorite teacher basically because I was never bored. It wasn't a normal class. It had different, more adult expectations and he treated us as responsible teens without us having to earn it. Plus I still use his "no whining" slogan with my own children. I think the biggest impact he had on my life was telling me that I would make a great teacher. I may have never became a "teacher", but I am a mom of 5 kids that I shape, mold and teach daily. I hope I am fulfilling the expectations he had of me.
Mrs. Greene was my 11th grade Honors English teacher. She taught me how to love. See she didn't play favorites. Every student was her favorite. Every class was loved equally. At the end of every week we got a love letter from her. It was always unique just for that class. The more I think about it, the more I want to write each of my children a weekly love letter. Perhaps I will even set up an email account just for each one to send them pictures and emails about the weeks events in honor of one of my favorite teachers. I think the thing I loved most about her is something I will never do. she invited us all to her house and let us eat anywhere we wanted. She had white carpet. If only I were so brave.
Ms. Shoener was my data analysis and probability teacher. I want to clarify that she is on the list because not every experience in life is a good one. She gave me my first D. Had I earned that D I would have accepted it and moved on. However, we had a final project I had been working on for 3 weeks. We were all given a disk by her, to do our project on the school computers. The day before it was due, she had seen my project, looked it over, complimented it, and told me I could print it the next day as we were out of time. So the next morning while all of us were getting ready to print our projects I inserted my disk. The computer blew up....literally had smoke come out of it. It ate my disk leaving my 175 point final project inside a computer that couldn't be used. No credit. No partial credit. All my work in the class had been worthless as she refused to award me any points. I took my D and walked away stronger as I knew that I would not be a person that bases all my decisions on what can be seen that day.
Linda Roach was my pastor's wife. She was a strong woman that held a strong belief in prayer and in signs. Every time she asked for an answer God sent her a clear one. She had an amazing walk with God that I aspire to have.
Autumn was one of the foster children that Linda and her husband Mike took in. She was a 16 year old pregnant with twins and was a twin herself. She was the first person to tell me that it's ok to make mistakes as long as you walk away a better person. She intended on giving them up for adoption. She wasn't around long enough for me to discover if she did, but wherever she is, I know that she is making something of herself.
Billy Blanks invented Taebo. He is on my list simply because I love Taebo and it's the only workout that I have ever gotten immediate and lasting results with. I just got his insane abs and I intend on being in a goal outfit by Austin's first birthday with his help.
My ex-husband has taught me how much I will tolerate, how strong I can be, to make better choices, to stand on my own two feet, to be a better parent, how long I can go without food (while pregnant), how to hide bruises and tears, and most importantly when to walk away. I have 4 amazing children as a result of tolerating too much. That I will never regret. He failed to take away my ideals about love and family. He only temporarily robbed me of my self-esteem. I stand here today stronger, smarter, healthier, and better off because I was able to be pushed to my limits and escape.
Stephen King is my favorite writer. I aspire to have half the fan base he does.
Things Remembered, ah yes a store. You taught me how people will buy anything at any price if you spin them the right story. You taught me that a high mark-up and low wages will make a great profit. You also showed me pregnancy discrimination like I will never forget. Thanks for that.
LaCasa has taught me how to have a ghetto apartment and live. I have put up with trash in the halls, drunk men peeing in the elevator and now finally a rape on the backstair case. In other words, you have taught me when I need to move.
College has taught me that I hate college. I don't know how to study, but because I am talented at writing papers, not only can I pass a class, but I can walk away remembering none of it.
Chris Hempel, I don't think you read my blogs. If by some chance you read this I want let everyone know that you have a big role in the reason I am still alive. For those of you that don't know, Chris was my best friend. He encouraged me to walk away from my marriage. Once I did he was right there bringing me brownies and calling to check on me 5 or 6 times a day to know I was safe. After all of this I hurt him badly by being with someone else and yet he has forgiven me. I wish he was still my best friend, and I wish him the best of luck with his marriage. I hope that one day we can talk like we used to. If not, I will always have that memory.
Alisha Howton, you are my best friend. Because of you and Matt my girls are able to go to pre-school. I always have someone to talk to, no matter what time it is. I never have to question whether we are really friends because I know we are. Pretty soon we will be having lunch play-dates and walking our babies through the mall and I can think of no one I would rather do that with than you.
Jen Fry, you were my first best friend. We have all kinds of weird jokes about fertile eggs and golf clubs and everyone may stare at us like morons when we discuss this, but we both know we are simply hilarious! If they don't they can get over it.
Lindsay House, you were the best friend that got me between the best friends. While we also have a million inside jokes about how "he look like a man" or the cheese factory, I know that if ten years pass by again without us talking, when we do, it will be just like you never moved away. Just for the record, it was bigger than my thumb.
Calvin, you are my brother. Some people say that family is what you are born with. I say family are the people that find you when you need them the most. They show up, eat your food, watch your kids, and never ask for more than that. Only we can make a Wal-Mart trip into an adventure and only you and Cory would teach my twins to scream "penis" over the aisles. I love you little bro.
Yes, y'all this list will be continued as my brain is beginning to hurt.
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