"Live Forever!"

There have only been a few students in my six years of teaching that will stand out for the rest of my life.

J is one of them.

He is the kind of kid that you don't meet everyday.

He is a remarkable writer, and all around wonderful person.

Seniors at our school have to put together a senior portfolio. One of the tasks for this project is to write a letter to a teacher who has been an important roll model in their life.

J wrote his letter to me. It was three and a half pages long.

Needless to say I cried when I read it.

He also got me a book titled Listen to the Echos: The Ray Bradbury Interviews.

In the letter he explains that because of my class and the way that I taught Fahrenheit 451 changed his view of literature and ultimately, life. He explained that prior to his junior year he had felt a bit lost. Then he came into my classroom. I always hope that this will be the case. That because a student was in my classroom their life is better. I want to inspire students, and there are always days when I think that it's working. And there are always days when I feel like it's not. But to have someone look back almost a year later and say that I was a part of a life shift. I can't tell you how powerful that is.

His note in the book that he gifted to me he told me to read a story about Bradbury's childhood. The story of Mr. Electrico. Bradbury was a small child and went to the circus and saw a man called Mr. Electrico - and he looked at Bradbury as a young kid and pointed to him in the crowd and yelled "Live Forever!". Bradbury's lust for life has always drawn me to his work. His essays, novels, everything about him is full of love. I have hoped that this is also something that people - particularly my students - think about me.

I feel very lucky that I get to do what I do everyday. And feel very blessed that a student took the time to tell me that it mattered.