Touching the Future

     I've written before about my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Marie Henrich, in "Thank You, Mrs. Henrich". I was lucky enough to run into Mrs. Henrich last week at a tutor appreciation breakfast, and I had a chance to talk with her for a few minutes. I told her that she's become an "internet sensation" since she's the topic my most read blog post.  While we were visiting, I told her my memories that I had written about in the blog. She didn't quite remember the events the same way that I did, but that's pretty understandable.  (Don't you just love my picture of Mrs. Henrich and my yearbook picture from 4th grade!)
     She said, "I don't think I could be a teacher today.  I wouldn't be able to keep my job. Kids were always going home with my lipstick kisses on them. Lots of times I walked kids home so they wouldn't get beaten when they got home." At first I felt really sad when she told me that.  Mrs. Henrich is such an important part of my past, and I couldn't imagine her not being there for me and all the other students she taught throughout the years.
    She might not be a teacher today, but she's still touching kids lives today.  There are at least three teachers and one administrator that came out of our group of twenty-six fourth graders. She continues to have an impact on the lives of students in St. Charles and across the state.
    She's "touching the future" every time I work with my readers.  She's reaching kids every day Tracie does something fun with her math students in Kansas. Mrs. Henrich is still teaching every time Dave inspires high school kids to learn more about history. Her kindness continues each time Renee helps kids at her daughter's elementary school. Her leadership is shared each day Tim works with teachers and students. (That's just the beginning of what I could find through my Facebook sleuthing)
     As I get ready to finish out this year of school I don't know if I am inspiring any of my readers to become teachers one day, but I have the privilege to reach into the future.