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Mom asked daughter what she liked about her 2nd grade teacher, and got a touching reply

"Thank you for making her feel this way."

Photo credit: Canva

We all have that one teacher who made a last positive impact on us.

John Steinbeck nailed it when he said “a great teacher is a great artist…teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” This is why many teachers often receive little thank-you trinkets and treats. I specifically remember giving out those red foil chocolate roses to some of my teachers. Remember those?

Then again, sometimes nothing quite encapsulates immense gratitude like a handwritten note. As the school year came to a close, one mom began writing a personalized thank-you card to her daughter Mia’s second grade teacher, filled with all the things Mia specifically appreciated about her this year.

The mom was not only "completely touched” by the amount of good things Mia had to say (“I never get much information out of my daughter”), but by how much care and thought this teacher clearly put in over the school year. So, the mom quickly jotted down everything she could, and came up with a heartfelt note which she posted online:

 teachers, 2nd grade, 2nd grade teacher, teacher appreciation, gratitude, handwritten note "She makes everything better."Photo credit: Canva

“Dear —-,

I can’t express how important it is to [omitted] and I that Mia has such a supportive person caring for her and helping her grow. I have never heard her speak so clearly about someone. I was truly moved by how much she enjoyed being in your class. Thank you for making her feel this way.

I asked Mia what she liked about you and here’s what she said—unedited. She talked about you for several minutes.

‘[Teacher’s name] is nice. I love her because she is kind. She has been my favorite teacher so far because she is generous and she lets me go to the nurse when I need to. She has two dogs and two kids and I want to meet them because they sound nice and I want to say hi to everybody and…well…I want to meet the dogs! And she lets me talk about things I know a lot about like my butterfly reviews and jumpy spider.

 teachers, 2nd grade, 2nd grade teacher, teacher appreciation, gratitude, handwritten note  s]"she lets me talk about things I know a lot about like my butterfly reviews and jumpy spider."Photo credit: Canva

I like when she calls on me except when I’m not raising my hand. Oh! And she let’s me stand up when I need to so I don’t fall out of my chair. She says I’m ok when something is wrong and she lets me tell her in private. And she takes care of me like when I had that stye today and she reminded me not to touch it! She doesn’t yell at me when I talk out loud, she just tells me to stop and when we’re talking to her she doesn't talk, she waits for us to calm down and finish and then she helps. And she gives me pencils when I don’t have one and she even lets me use sharpies when I need to even when it wasn’t the right paper and it bleeded through and she said it was okay. She makes everything better.

I think I know her favorite color. I’m going to miss her over the summer’

[she notices that I’m frantically writing down everything she said]

‘Wait! Can I put a joke in there?! Put What did one carton of milk say to the other carton of milk when they were arguing? We gotta get to the BOTTOM of this!

Because you have to drink to the bottom of the milk carton! Put the reason because she might not get it.’

I truly can’t thank you enough. Have a wonderful summer.”

What my daughter had to say about her 2nd grade teacher at the end of the year
byu/pettypiranhaplant inMadeMeSmile


Later in the comments, the mother would add that she has a mild form of autism, and suspects that Mia might as well, meaning that while she might only need minimal support, she “still faces noticeable difficulties with social communication,” particularly in only being able to talk about stuff she’s “really passionate about.” This teacher not only clearly saw that need in Mia and nurtured it (listening while she talked about spiders and butterflies) she even became a special interest herself. This is such a clear demonstration of how powerful a good teacher can be in a child’s life.

Thousands of viewers chimed in to share how meaningful it can be for teachers to get this kind of feedback, especially in a world that’s making it increasingly more difficult for teachers to do their job properly.

“Letters and appreciation like this for educators means so much. They work so hard and good teachers deserve to hear they're acknowledged for their sincere work. I'm sure she will be so touched by this.”

“The good ones, the good ones often never get this. They never hear how their impact has been noticed and appreciated. Especially in recent years, it's so hard now. It really is, so many are leaving the profession as they're not supported and worn down.”

“I’ve definitely cried a little from nice emails from my students (higher education level too). They really make my week - sometimes make my entire semester and it’s what keeps me from quitting given I don’t like most other aspects of my job. I’ll be on the verge of quitting then a student will send me a really lovely thank you and I’ll be like ‘oh ok this is why I do it.’ I have them all saved! I even show my colleagues/friends and they show me their nice emails too and we all ‘awww’ over them.”

“That’s such a lovely story. It definitely gets difficult when I have students become really rude or mean (these are all adults in higher ed so it’s even more frustrating), a lot lean towards forgetting that we are people with feelings. So when a student is nice it makes such a big difference and I’m always incredibly grateful.”

What a lovely reminder about the power of gratitude. We all need to hear that our efforts are making an impact. Hold onto the kind words bestowed upon you, and never hesitate to bestow them onto others.

To all the teachers who "make everything better": thank you.

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Heroes

Teen's quick thinking saves family next door stuck on their roof during house fire

"I wasn't thinking. I just took the ladder and ran."

Photo credit: Canva

Teen's quick thinking saves family stuck on roof during fire

We never expect to be put into a position to save someone's life, especially if we didn't sign up for that in any official capacity. Since it's something most people don't expect, there's no telling how a person would react when faced with the harrowing circumstances. We'd all like to believe we'd automatically jump up and do the right thing but until it happens in real time there's no way to tell.

Tyler Sowden found himself having to make the incredible split second decision to save the lives of his neighbors and he did so without hesitation. Though Tyler is only 16-years-old, it didn't matter when it came to helping a mom and her children trapped on their roof while their home beneath them burned.

Tyler tells WKRC that he could hear screaming from his house and when he hopped up to see why there was such a loud commotion going on outside, he was met with the unthinkable.

Reese Witherspoon Fire GIF by HULUGiphy

"I was in my house," he says to WKRC. "I heard screaming. I seen the kid on top of the roof. The house was on fire, so I took a ladder, ran over, put the ladder up," he further explains that he grabbed the kids and helped the mom down the ladder.

According to WPLG Local 10, there were originally four people in the home that made it to the roof, the mother, her 12-year-old, 7-year-old and 10-month-old. The oldest child had already jumped off of the roof to safety but the mother and two younger children were trapped with no way down without risking serious injury. But staying on the roof was also not an option as it may have caught fire with the mother and children still on the roof.

Episode 2 Nbc GIF by One ChicagoGiphy

Thanks to Tyler's quick thinking, he acting fast taking the exact type of ladder needed to reach the trapped family. In the incredible video caught by a nearby home survelliance system, you see the teen lay the ladder against the roof then quickly climb it as another bystander holds it steady. When he reaches the top of the ladder the mother hands him the baby first. He swiftly tucks the baby under his arm like a football and hands him off the the woman holding the bottom of the ladder before heading back up for the second child.

His actions were so impressive that they caught the attention of the local fire department, with Lieutenant Mike Norman of the Cleveland Fire Department telling WPLG Local 10, "I give him a lot of credit, just to react, to think ahead, to bring the ladder. He brought the right ladder to the scene and helped that woman and her children down, I mean, he saved three lives today."

The boy's stepfather who was not at home during the incident expressed how proud he is of Tyler to WKRC saying, "He just jumped into action no questions asked, risking his life to save the others," he said. "Just goes to show you, he valued other people's lives more than his own at the time just to do what he needed to do. He knew what needed to be done and he did it. I'm so proud of this boy."

Shortly after the family was saved from the roof, it caved in and the fire quickly spread to the home next door where an elderly man and his dog had to be evacuated. Thankfully everyone is safe and doing well all because of Tyler's quick action.

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Pop Culture

Tom Hanks shares the 'best' advice an angry director told him, and it applies to everyone

He took it to heart, and it changed his life and career.

via Ralph_Ph/Wikimedia Commons

Tom Hanks speaking to a crowd in London in 2023.

Tom Hanks, 68, has had an incredible career as an actor, playing lead roles in iconic films such as Forest Gump, Philadelphia, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, and Sleepless in Seattle. He also has remarkable longevity in the business, having been on the A-list for the last 40-plus years. He picked up one of the secrets to his success at age 21 when a frustrated director shared some practical wisdom he'd never forget.

Hanks shared his advice on June 15, 2023, during “An Evening with Tom Hanks,” in London, hosted by fellow actor Richard E. Grant (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Gosford Park). As a young man, Hanks worked for a repertory theater, doing background roles and working as an understudy on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shew, when the lead actors came to rehearsal hungover and didn’t know their lines. This angered the director, who demanded they come to work like professionals.

What's the best advice Tom Hanks ever received?

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

“This is my job, and it's your job here. And I can't tell you guys what to do every time. Stop asking me where you should be. Stop asking what the motivation is. That's your job,” Hanks recalled the director saying before delivering advice that would change his life: “You gotta show up on time. You have to know the text, and you have to have an idea.”

The best advice Tom Hanks ever received: “You gotta show up on time. You have to know the text, and you have to have an idea.”

The advice changed how Hanks approached being a professional actor and helped propel him to the industry's top. The strange thing for Hanks is that it’s advice that many actors still need to hear. “You tell me, are there not a ton of actors that are working who don't do any of those things? And they still get to come and get paid to do it?” he told Grant.

tom hanks elvis, tom hanks australia, tom parker, hanks advice, tom hanks roles, how to act, directorsTom Hanks at the "Elvis" premiere in Australia. via Eva Rinaldi/Wikimedia Commons

Hanks elaborated on the three pieces of advice, adding that showing up on time means “a little bit early,” and knowing the texts means understanding "what’s going on” and being prepared. Finally, " having an idea” means bringing something to the table that will “move it a little further down the line.”

When you boil all of Hank’s advice down to its core, it means to take the initiative. Show up early, be prepared for what you must do, and then improve upon the situation by bringing some fresh ideas to share. From the director’s perspective, it’s invaluable to work with actors who want to enhance their vision so they don't have to control every aspect of the production.


Whether it’s a director, your boss, or your spouse, there’s nothing people love more than being able to depend on those who care enough to go the extra mile so that the project is a success. Show that you’re more than just an actor looking for fame, an employee looking for a paycheck, or a spouse who wants little more than to keep a roof over their head.

Hanks’ advice is great for anyone who wants to go above and beyond and become an integral part of a team. As actor Steve Martin once said, “Be so good that you’re undeniable.” It’s no wonder that Hanks has had such a great career. He took the director's advice to heart and became one of the most successful and beloved actors of all time.

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Joy

Death doula reveals the big lesson working with the dying has taught her about happiness

She has a very unique window into life.

via TED and Canva/Photos

Alua Arthur and a man in hospice care.

Death is a highly complicated and mysterious subject that rightfully makes a lot of us uncomfortable. But, according to Alua Arthur, a death doula who is an expert on the topic and works closely with the dying and their families, by embracing this uncomfortable fact of life, we can all find more joy in the time that we have left.

Arthur, a former lawyer, experienced a life-changing moment in Cuba when he met a traveler battling uterine cancer. Their time together changed her perspective on life. “We spent the 14-hour bus ride talking about her life and also her death,” she recounted in a 2023 TED Talk. “And it was a highly illuminating conversation. I heard firsthand how hard it was for her even to be able to talk about her fears around mortality and her disease because people censored their own discomfort with mortality rather than make space for her.”

Arthur says the woman helped her “see that I did not like the life that I was living.” After that interaction and the death of her brother from cancer, she left her law career and decided to work with those who are dying and their families. Arthur’s experiences with the dying led her to an important life lesson: "I took that invitation to start living like I was dying,” she told Simon Sinek on his “A Bit of Optimism” podcast.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

As a death doula, Arthur provides non-medical support for people at the end of their lives, as well as their friends and family. This support can include anything from legal advice to counseling. She says she’s like a birth doula, but “for the other side” of life.

Ten years of working with those transitioning out of life have profoundly changed how Arthur sees the world. "I think I speak a little bit more clearly about how I feel. I brush up against my vulnerability a lot more often. The idea of individualism seems to be fading in me. I'm more comfortable being needed and needing people in my life because I see how communal our lives are and can be, and I want that for myself,” she told Sinek.

Arthur also embraces a lot more pleasures in life. “I eat more delicious foods, I'm not as concerned about my weight, if we're going to be silly about it. Like, I eat whatever I want because this life is short, and I want to use my taste buds as long as I got them. I love French fries and cake, so I'm trying to get 'em while I can,” she admits.

The death doula is skeptical of those with rigid habits who want to increase their longevity. "I think it's death denial at its core. I think we live in a highly death-avoidant culture, and that tells you if you pop enough supplements and if you drink enough baby's blood, you'll live to 177,” she told Sinek. “But why do you want to live to 117 anyway? What is it that we're trying to avoid by wanting to live forever, and what are you doing with that extra time that you wouldn't do now with the finite time that you have?"

As a death doula, Arthur often counsels people in their final days to help them understand their lives, and in doing so, she found meaning in her own. "Tomorrow could be it, and if that's the case, why not live my life right now with the fullness that I can while I'm still here?" she told Sinek.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

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