01/14/01: Women & Men, Mrs. Thompson

Hi,

I'm very excited that the NY Giants beat the Vikings in their playoff game
today. Now, I'll really look forward to watching the Superbowl, instead of
just watching it for the interesting commercials.

If you like to watch Asian movies, here's a good article in the NY Times
that discusses the new wave of Asian movies. I'm hoping to watch Edward
Yang's critically acclaimed, "Yi-Yi", if it ever opens here in LA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/14/arts/14KEHR.html

This week's thought provoking question is: "If you had to eat in only one
restaurant for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?"

Jennifer Chin and Kelly Chu forwarded the humor and inspirational pieces,
respectively.

Enjoy!

-Josh.
______________________________________________

WOMEN

Women have strengths that amaze men. They carry children, they carry
hardships, they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They
smile when they want to scream. They sing when they are nervous. Women wait
by the phone for a "safe at home call" from a friend after a snowy drive
home.

Women have special qualities about them. They volunteer for good causes.
They are pink ladies in hospitals, they bring food to shut-ins. They are
child care workers, executives, attorneys, stay-at-home moms, biker babes,
and your neighbors. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up for
injustice. They are in the front row at PTA meetings. They walk and talk
the extra mile to get their children in the right schools and for getting
their family the right health care. They stick a love note in their lover's
lunch box. They do without new shoes so their children can have them. They
go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally.

Women are honest, loyal, and forgiving. They are smart, knowing that
knowledge is power. But they still know how to use their softer side to
make a point. Women want to be the best for their family, their friends,
and themselves. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their
friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new
marriage. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They have sorrow at the
loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no
strength left. A woman can make a romantic evening unforgettable.

Women drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about
you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin!

Women do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They give
compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends.
And all they want back is a hug, a smile and for you to do the same to
people you come in contact with.

MEN

Men are good at lifting heavy stuff and killing bugs.
_________________________________

Her name was Mrs. Thompson.

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of
school, she told the children a lie.

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them
all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his
seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't
play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he
constantly needed a bath.

And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson
would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen,
making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each
child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.

However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready
laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be
around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked
by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal
illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on him. He
tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his
home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show
much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes
sleeps in class".

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself.

She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents,
wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.

His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from
a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the
other presents.

Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet
with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of
perfume.

But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the
bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs.
Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day,
she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began
to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him,
his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he
responded.

By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in
the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the
same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that
she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote
that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the
best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had
been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would
soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.

He assured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he
ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he
explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a
little further.

The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he
ever had. But now his name was a little longer-the letter was signed,
Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that
spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He
explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was
wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding
that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.

And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones
missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy
remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear,
"Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making
me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy,
you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a
difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Warm someone's heart today . . . pass this along.

Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have
the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook. Please try to do
it in a positive way.

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly."