Miss Gallagher. She had very curly hair…painted nails…and she always smelled like a flower. I adored her. She taught me how to read. 1st grade.

Ms. Flemming. She drove my brother and I to school everyday because she was also our neighbor. Kind, patient, smart. She taught me my multiplication tables and also helped me make new friends in my new school. Her husband worked at Sears…and helped my mom get me the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world at the time…my Cabbage Patch doll. 4th grade.

Mrs. Lamanski. Gorgeous jet black hair, always wore the most stylish shoes and had a smile that lit up a room. She taught me to believe in myself…even when I thought I could never get anything right. She helped me realize that it doesn’t matter how many tries I had to take…what matters is that I continued on and kept at it to get it right…in my own time. Never to give up on myself. 7th grade (1st semester)

Mrs. G. She was the warmest, gentlest, sweetest woman. A mixture of an older sister and a grandmother. Patient. I moved into a new school in the middle of the 7th grade…it was a tough year. I has Mrs. G in 8th grade…and with her help I came out of my shell. I had friends again. I raised my hand. I loved school again. Her time, her caring ways…well, it came when I needed it most. 8th grade.

Mr. Grandy. High school English class. I found my love for reading and writing. He made books come alive. His passion for the written word…was contagious. You couldn’t help but get excited to read what would happen next. Sophomore year.

Father Burns. He taught a class at UD called Christian Marriage. I actually took the class with my boyfriend (now husband)…it was our Senior year. We learned so much in that class. The papers we had to write…the discussions we had…only deepened our faith..and our love. I loved listening to Father Burns…how blessed we were to be able to take that class together.

All of these…and many more. Teachers of mine. They all have left a mark.

All too often they are taken for granted. We assume they know we appreciate their work, their time, their patience.  We assume they know how lucky we feel to have our children in their classrooms….Have you told them lately? Have you told them thank you…

You really can’t say it too many times….

(In memory of those educators who laid down their life to protect their students at Sandy Hook Elementary School)

May we continue to let their light shine….