A Good Teacher, A Good Luck

Ihavecometobelievethatagreatteacherisagreatartistandthatthereareasfewasthereareanyothergreatartists.Itmightevenbethegreatestoftheartsincethemediumisthehumanmindandspirit.

Ishallspeakonlyofmyfirstteacherbecauseinadditiontotheotherthings,shebroughtdiscovery.

Shearousedustoshouting,bookwavingdiscussions.Shehadthenoisiestclassinschoolandshedidn’tevenseemtoknowit.Wecouldneversticktothesubject.Shebreathedcuriosityintoussothatwebroughtinfactsortruthsshieldedinourhandslikecapturedfireflies.

Shewasfiredandperhapsrightlyso,forfailingtoteachfundamentals.Suchthingsmustbelearned.Butsheleftapassioninusforthepureknowableworldandsheinflamedmewithacuriositywhichhasneverleft.IcouldnotdosimplearithmeticbutthroughherIsensedthatabstractmathematicswasverymuchlikemusic.

Whenshewasrelieved,asadnesscameoverusbutthelightdidnotgoout.Shelefthersignatureonus,theliteratureoftheteacherwhowritesonminds.IsupposethattoalagerextentIamtheunsignedmanuscriptofthehighschoolteacher.Whatdeathlesspowerliesinthehandsofsuchaperson.

Icantellmysonwholooksforwardwithhorrortofifteenyearsofdrudgerythatsomewhereinthedustydarkamagicmayhappenthatwilllightuptheyears…ifheisverylucky.