Teachers Never Stop Teaching

 Mom taught school for many years, but not until I was a teenager.    

She was only 17 when she married Dad.  I was born a year later.  Fast forward to 1974 and two more children later - she decided to go back to college.  At that time, the local community college had busses to pick up students and bring them to college.  She rode that bus three days a week for two years.  She was in her thirties and riding a school bus - well, a college bus.

When she transferred to Ole Miss, they didn’t have busses.  Mom usually drove herself, but occasionally, she car pooled.   Three years later, with three kids and a husband working nights so he could go to preaching school during the day, Mom graduated.

I remember her graduation like it was yesterday!  It was the summer before my senior year of high school.  Dad bought Mom a cake and when we got home from her graduation we celebrated her!  It was a very good day in the Wigginton household.  She began teaching as soon as school started that fall.

Mother was dedicated to her profession.  She cared about her students and always wanted to do the best she could for them.  Mom had a strong desire to help them learn.  She was a huge encouragement to her students. 

I say all that to say, she saw two of her former students yesterday.  They spoke to her and you should have seen her glow!  It gave her so much joy to see these former students. 

Mom thanked both of them for speaking to her.  The man who was her student hugged her when he said goodbye – and his young son (who had never met her) did too! 

In that moment, I realized Mom touched many lives. And she still does today.  She still encourages them and she still shows her love for them when they see her.  I had been with her when she met former students before, but today was different.  I saw her interactions in a different light.  I respected her more.  I loved her more.

Two things I learned from Mom.  The first thing is we can do almost anything if we are determined enough to do it.

The second thing is that we all interact with people every day.  We don’t have to be school teachers to encourage and show love to others.  We can have an impact on the people around us.  Every day when we wake up, we have a new set of opportunities to make a wonderful difference in this world. 

We can be cheerful and encouraging when we meet old friends or acquaintances – or even strangers! We can be the difference between a bad day and a good day. 

When we see others through the eyes of Jesus, it changes our whole perspective.  This really is what we are supposed to do. 

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matthew 25:40).

Christ above all things – Robin