National Teacher Appreciation Week

May 7-11 was Teacher Appreciation Week in the US. This is a wonderful reminder to say thanks to the people who taught us.

I had wonderful teachers in elementary school—except for fifth grade when I had the teacher we all had heard about since we started school. Her name was Miss Nice and let me tell you—nice was not a word I would ever use to describe her.

Now I realize that Miss Nice was really a good teacher—she was preparing us for what was to come when we moved on to the next level. What we didn’t like about her was that she expected a lot from her students and if you did good work, she rewarded you by letting you leave class a little early at lunch time to make her a cup of tea! I can’t imagine a teacher doing that today but we fought for that opportunity!

I never thanked Miss Nice for what she did for me and I bet few of my classmates did either but I should have because what I learned in her class has stayed with me. 

Yesterday I was reminded of how much it matters when we’re appreciated. I chair a committee for a large volunteer organization which takes up a lot of my time and energy. Sometimes I wonder if I should keep it up. Well, I received an email from a long-time committee member who thanked me for my leadership and for my dedication and told me how much she appreciates me.

To say that message made my day is a total understatement! So I challenge you to think who you might contact today to let them know how much you appreciate them. Might be a former teacher, a mentor, a colleague, a coach. It doesn’t matter who it is, but do it today! You won’t regret it and you will touch them in a way that is beyond your wildest imagination!