Letter to a Teacher
Hello, teacher. How have you been? It has been quite a while, hasn't it? And despite that, you have been with me inside my mind all this time, so I am sending the you in my head back to you, along with imaginary gifts through this letter! I hope it has found you well, and that my grammar is respectable, even if my language is kind of silly, because I can't help the latter, hehe.
The last time we talked was like any other before that. You went away so suddenly, I didn't even get the chance to say our goodbyes, which struck me with a little bit of grief. I wonder if you felt the same, teacher? It's fine if you didn't, because I don't have a good grasp on what other people feel about me, so I can't expect you felt the same as me, but I can wish you did, because that would mean you had as much fun teaching me as I had being taught by you.
I know that I can be quite outspoken, since it seems I have a reputation for it, but what good is being able to say your mind if I can't say the things I want to say the most? And those, I never did for you, teacher, so I am writing this letter with my heart on my sleeve, and saying all that which I ought to have said, had I known it would be the last time.
I kept thinking about it for a long time since the time I was told about your absence, about the importance of teaching, learning, and having a good tutor. Someone you can look up to and hope to match one day, or at least, someone that makes you want to do your best so you can make them proud. Isn't that a wonderful thing? I think that you, teacher, have been this kind of person to me.
At school, there are many kinds of different teachers, and I can tell them apart clearly. There are some who are not that confident in their skills, there are some who don't know how to deal with awkwardness, others have a very political stance on teaching, treating it purely like a job to do, and some have even developed some pretty silly habits to carry them through lessons. Sometimes I wonder if it is arrogant of me to say such things.
I have only been observing them closely (it is hard not to when sharing a room one on one with another person), but is it right of me to claim that I understand their habits and ways of being a teacher like that? I am not sure. I can never be sure of most things, but there is one thing I am certain, teacher, and that is that you love teaching and being a teacher. I know and feel that every time we have classes together.
Having classes with you is like having a classmate, a friend, and a teacher all in one. It is always the jolliest thing ever to happen in a school, and a first for me. Whenever I enter the classroom and I see you there instead of all the other teachers, I can feel happiness and excitement crawling up my neck, and before even exchanging words, I can already tell it's going to be the highlight of my day. From your smile to the tone of your voice that comes after my mind registers your presence, I can pick up all sorts of details of how you are also excited to share this moment, because you love teaching.
But it's not only about the discipline. That is what I find most wonderful about teachers: to teach is not only about making someone understand a certain academic topic. I believe, most of all, it is to nurture someone, help them develop critical thinking, curiosity, confidence, and the skills they need to navigate life and grow as individuals. You have to really look at the person behind the learner. I can see it in your eyes, the passion and zeal shining behind them every time you looked at me, and I felt so glad to be on the receiving end of your gaze, that it makes me feel something akin to love...
It's a feeling of unrest that irks in a good way. I can feel myself seeking and hoping you will be there when class starts, and not the other teachers. I could almost feel sorry to diminish them like that, but I can't, because it's the truth, and I refuse to deny it. You might be away now and we might never see each other again, and these words might never make their way to you, but I will still carry a piece of you inside me. Meeting you has broadened my world, and this new territory carries a brand of your own; it's the soil you cultivated with the time we spent together. It had so much more potential to grow if we had more time, but I will take care of it now since you are not here anymore, and do my best so these feelings live on with me.
So, thank you, teacher.
From your faithful student, *****.