If I have to choose one person other than my parents, one person who shaped my mind and personality; it will be the lady who offered me M & M's and chocolates every time I visited her. She always kept a bottle of the colourful-chocolate-pebbles in her office. Whenever I ran to her for help regarding school work or just to chat, she passed me the bottle.
She showered me with kindness when no one cared or worse, they thought poorly of me. I was ostracized because I was unattractively me. I didn't try to be like them.
Many years lapsed since I left school but memories of her are engraved onto every cel in my body. In fact, when the ride is rough, her kindess and compassion kept me going. Deep down, I know that once upon a time, a nerdy and constantly baffled teenager was salvaged by a caring teacher.
She didn't only teach me law, but she showed to me how to be a person of integrity. There was an incident that brought to light the bulwark of fairness. She protected me against a group of teachers who shamelessly joked about a self-made Teacher's Day card I gave her. Somehow, a law student can't giver her teacher a card of love and appreciation. It became the talk of the town, for reasons I never understood. It was branded "uncool", I was told.
The fabulous news is that she liked the card. I was happy. Not only because she defended me and as a result infuriated her colleagues, but because she stood up for what she believed was right.
We drifted apart after I graduated. I don't know why. Although I talk and think of her regularly. I reckon I praised her endlessly in front of many of my friends. By chance, a classmate of mine met her at a law conference. My name was being mentioned and she remembers nearly everything about me.
It is all coming back now. Time to pick-up the telephone. She no longer lives in my past. I feel her presence once more.
