I'm driving to Kroger, pick out the prettiest "THANK YOU" card I can find; driving to Douglas County High School, and make a teacher's day special. Not just any teacher, but my favorite teacher from long ago.
Her name is Jill Bryson, and she was my P.E. teacher in middle school...6th to 8th grade. I was a short, overweight kid with severe asthma...a very poor athlete (was usually the last one picked for softball or soccer). While most of my P.E. teachers and coaches ignored me, or even worse berated me for not being fast enough, doing enough situps, or being able to sink a free throw half the time; Jill was different. She saw me not as a P.E. student, but as a student...an intelligent young man that had talents (but not in athetics).
Jill Bryson would encourage me to "reach for the stars"; to be the best at what I did well...science and geography. She also made the other two P.E. teachers (both male) "lighten" up on critisism of my athletic failures, to stop pushing me to run laps when my chest was burning from asthma. In the 7th and 8th grade, most of the time, I just dressed out and assisted Jill...I ran the scoreboard, kept score, and helped with equipment--she graded me on my effort, not my ability to shoot hoops or pass the Presidential Fitness Test (usually A-).
I never forgot Jill's encouragement and motivation to do the best job at what I excelled at, or her kindness. Today, I "keep my feet on the ground but keep reaching for the stars" in every facet of my life. That's the effort I put into websites, caring for my grandmother, and my security job...the professionalism I displayed at EDS. Jill Bryson is a major reason I'm the southern gentleman you see on this board today.
I just want her to know how much I appreciate her efforts on my behalf long ago, let her know how much she meant to me...and thank her
Btw - If anyone out there knows a teacher (or retired teacher) named Patricia Kaylor, that taught at Stewart Middle School in Douglasville, Georgia in the mid 1970's, I'd be extremely grateful if you'd email or p.m. me....she was also a wonderful and kind lady that always encouraged me to do my best. I'd love to let her know her efforts weren't in vain, and to thank her just as I'm doing for Mrs Bryson tomorrow
Thanks and God Bless You,
Perry W.
** I invite you to check out my new website in tribute to my heroes...the men and women that touched my life while growing up, and inspired me.
http://community-2.webtv.net/PerryXXL/MyHeroes
