My Most Beloved Teacher

We all have that one teacher in our lives. The one who heard what we did not say, reached us in a way no one else could.

For me, it was you.

I remember my first day of school like it was yesterday.

I tossed and turn the whole night before, yet I wake up early that morning, ready to take on the day.

I change my outfit five times, until I feel I find the right one- put together, colors that demand respect, yet comfortable at the same time. After all, I want you to have a good first impression of me.

Although we have not met yet, for the last couple of months, I've heard a lot about you- your likes and dislikes, all about your family, your personal hobbies. I get excited when I hear you love art-so do I!

After months of talking about you, the day arrives at last. Butterflies dance in my stomach as I step into the classroom and meet you for the first time. Exhilaration travels up my belly to my throat, and forces out the words before I can think twice.

"Hi! I'm Inbal!"

I greet you with a smile larger than life itself, although I hear my voice shake as the words come out.

Thoughts of doubts instantly begin waltzing through my mind

Will you like me?

Will you think I am kind?

Will you respect me for who I am?

Will you value my knowledge?

Will you be patient with me?

Oh, please be patient with me.

As soon as our eyes meet, those doubts quiet down.

You smile back at me, a smile of pure love, and (could it be?), shyness.

You greet me with the same exuberance, putting my nerves at ease instantly. As we walk around the classroom together, you pointing out different details, I feel my body start to relax, tension disappear.

When you recount your first day in this classroom, I am immediately calmed.

"If she could do it", I tell myself, "so can I".

Within a few minutes, I breathe effortlessly.

The year progresses in a similar manner.

You are so patient with me as I learn the ropes of the classroom, always remembering that this is my first year, never rushing me in the learning process. I sense immediately that you believed in me, right from the start.

When I speak, I watch as you eat up each word I enunciate, I feel as though I am the most important person in the world.

I'm hard on myself, feeling the pressure to be perfect.

But you see right through that.

When I make a mistake during a lesson, you don't laugh in my face, or embarrass me in front of the class. Instead, you brush it off gently, reminding me we are all humans. You feed me the sweet taste of acceptance.

On my bad days, when I doubt my choice of coming to this school, when I feel like a failure, you have a knack for making me laugh- a silly joke, a delicious remark.

I remember one day, when I really thought I wasn't good enough, you snuck up behind me and gave me a warm hug. Did you know how much I needed that hug?

You have a way of overlooking my biggest flaws, my largest complexes- to you, it's almost as if they don't exist. You love me not despite my imperfections, but because of them.

Because of that, I notice that when I am around you, I view myself in a kinder light.

As the year advances, our relationship strengthens. I think about you all the time. When I have to make choices in my day to day life, I find myself contemplating, "What would you think about it?".

I realize that I'm becoming more refined.

Tell me, did you ever in a thousand years imagine that you'd have such an impact on me?

Sometimes people laugh when they see us together, me the student, holding a pen and clipboard, towering over you in height. And you the teacher, your head reaching my waist, wearing a neatly pleated uniform skirt and pressed uniform blouse.

You have short hair.

You have long hair.

You are six.

You are seven.

You are eight.

You are my students, my most beloved teacher of all.

I may surpass you in age and height, but you certainly exceed me in kindness.