52 gems of reflection

This jar might not look like much, but, believe it or not, it's reclaimed treasure. It was my mother's. Typed onto each tiny slip of paper is a journaling prompt. When I heard that it was found, I about started to cry, but then my wheels got turning when my sister-in-law thought it would be great for blogging. We brainstormed for a long while; she took photos; I edited photos; and, this is what we came up with: 52 Gems of Reflection.

For 2013, Mondays on here will be centered around a random prompt from one of those slips of paper. I hope you might join in by commenting or using the prompt for your own blog. If you use the prompt, you can get the challenge photograph (as shown above) and weekly photograph prompts via a Pinterest pin that I will post each Monday under Blogs and Other Writing Adventures. Please put a link to your blog in the comments so everyone can enjoy your perspective on it throughout the week.

So without further ado, I give you Week 1 of 52 Gems of Reflection:

Thinking back, was there a teacher(s) or class that had a great influence on you?

The teachers who had the most impact on me just happened to be friends with my mom. I didn't quite realize what a benefit it was to be taught by educators who cared all that much more because they cared about my mom, too. But now, as I reflect on it, I see what a blessing these two women were in my adolescent life, key players in the village that raised me.

My inspiration for becoming an English teacher comes from Mrs. Martin. She was my teacher for the Honors British and American Literature classes that I took the last two years of high school. Mrs. Martin had this way of expecting what she knew you had in you. I won't ever forget the time I wrote a mess of a paper the night before with no thought whatsoever, turning it in late by three days already and expecting a decent grade. She marked off the points for each day late, then knocked off another ten because, as she put it, You know you can do better than this. I was in personal turmoil at that time, and so it didn't change my attitude toward the class. However, it taught me a life-long lesson about knowing what my best is and doing it.

Dr. Jensen, the choir director at my high school, influenced me to recognize my love for music in new and lasting ways. There is just something about singing The Hallelujah Chorus in a 1000-voice choir at the Candlelight Ceremony at Disneyland that pretty much takes your breath away and lights a unique fire, and that's just one example. She worked tirelessly to provide us with opportunities to showcase the talent and dedication of the students with whom she had influence. I am not technically trained whatsoever in directing choirs, but her enthusiasm for music, coupled with the example set in my home by my mom, rubbed off on me and I am enchanted by music in all its forms.

On a side note: I didn't realize what a friend my mom had in Dr. Jensen until she volunteered to play the organ at my mom's funeral. It touched me deeply to know that my teacher, her friend, remembered me and wanted to add more to the gift of music she already gave me many years before.

These two teachers' influence changed me for the better, and I feel their positive influence on my life even still. My heart is full of gratitude for them and every teacher who has helped me along my way.