It’s National Teachers Day

"The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth."--Dan Rather

I always loved school. I am the daughter of a teacher, so I have a huge respect for the daily struggles, hard work, and triumphs a teacher experiences. I saw the care and devotion my Mom had for each of her students on a daily basis. At one point I thought I would be a teacher. That was true until I went to work with her one day on "take your daughter to work day," and realized I do not have the patience required. It was on that day that I realized that my Mom may be part saint, and that other kids saw her "mean Mom face" when they misbehaved too.

I was lucky enough to have some pretty fantastic teachers growing up. Teachers who inspired me, pushed me, challenged me, and supported me. My 6th grade teacher, Mr. Homewood, knew that I had a hard time sitting still for too long, so he allowed me to stand and "tap dance" next to my desk when I got anxious. He graciously just ignored the girl who was dancing on the other side of the room, and at the end of the year he thanked me, on behalf of District 205, for not wearing out my desk chair. I loved his sense of humor.

I also want to thank  my high school drama teacher, Mr. Ogilvie, for realizing my potential for performing, and for tricking me into doing the singing audition for the spring musical junior year. (which I was TERRIFIED of doing!) I did it, landed one of the lead roles, and loved every minute of it. I guess ya'll have him to blame for where I am today.

Where would you be today without some fantastic teachers? It's a scary thought! Take a moment today and honor the teachers in your life who made a difference using the hashtag #thankateacher on social media.

One last thing. Teachers, check this out for some free goodies and discounts available to honor you today. You deserve it. Thank you for making us who we are, and opening our eyes to a world of possibilities.