Compassion

Compassion has been an incredible part of my experiences with teachers. Without the compassion of one of my teachers in particular, I would not have made it through freshmen and sophomore year of high school. When I was in 7th grade, my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer. He had 3 surgeries within 2 years and the 3rd one left him paralyzed on his left side. This occurred in November of my first year of high school. Going home after school became a very bittersweet situation and so often times I would stay in my history teacher's room until she went home for the day. Her name was Mrs. Glynn and she became a tremendous source of comfort, sanctuary, and especially, compassion. Mrs. Glynn ALWAYS made time for me. She saw me through an abundance of tears, times of intense sadness, and moments of despair. She was a rock as a teacher as well as an adult that I could go to besides my family members. After my dad passed away, this relationship with Mrs. Glynn became even stronger. She came to my dad's wake. She came to his funeral. She checked in on me often and allowed me to always say (or express in other ways) what I was feeling. I am being truly honest when I say that I could not have made it through those two years without her. She changed my life in numerous ways and gave me a new sense of hope whenever she was around. I hope to one day pay that gift of compassion forward to a student who will need it as much as I did then.