I’ve struggled a bit in life, as we all do, and your words have stuck with me and kept me going for all these years. I love reading because of Gary Paulsen in 4th grade. I love writing because of Mrs. Griffith in 11th grade. You always bring a smile to my face and thoughts. Thank you so much for showing me tough love, strict kindness, and forgiveness now, I truly hope.
	As a reminder, I did turn it around after that and did my best. Everything I turned in, you graded it and commented upon it. This allowed me to experiment, learn, and refine. I owe my love of writing, my expression, and my confidence to do it to you. My hopes are always that you were right in your assessment of me: that I have potential, and that potential precedes my purpose, and that what I wrote for you was the herald of my future creations. 
God bless you, Mrs. G, and your little dog, too…

Ms. Griffith,
	If you remember 1996, right before Christmas, in a fluorescent-filled room, I wrote a one-page, double-spaced critique of how the role and purpose of the teachers of English is obsolete and a complete waste of time; this was not your assignment for us. I am not sure why I would do something so insulting. Perhaps it was my lack of self-esteem. Or a dad. Or a purpose of my own. Whatever the reasoning, the truth is that it was hurtful and wrong. I apologize for my cutting words. My guess is that you are, and have been for a long time, a strong person who does not need this apology. However, thank you for taking the time to read it.
	The story doesn’t end there. You kept me after class. I was not too accustomed to detentions or trouble, but I knew these might be my only options. After the next-to-last student exited the classroom, you handed me back my paper. The first thing I saw was the red. Red Sharpie or pen? I don’t remember. It might as well have been a 4” paint brush because it was large and in charge of my attention, because the red spelled out an F. Circled for emphasis. Next to that, you wrote, “Choose your battles wisely, Mr. Burns.” A phrase I harken for use on my own children, from time to time.
	It only got better from there. After the professional scold, you told me how in your 29 years of teaching there were only 2 students that stood out to you as exceptional writers: Robert so-and-so from your very first year. And then me… It was something about voice and creativity and something to share with the world. You made me feel  good. Validated. My dad had recently left our family and moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I’m guessing that was behind a few of my feelings and actions back then.

...

I am in school now, enrolled in an teaching program—switching careers at intermission—and one assignment is to write a thank you letter to a former, formative teacher. I always think about her and this moment written below. She didn’t share too much of her private life as she was busy instructing and guiding us to become who we could become. 

When I looked up Linda Griffith, I chose to search Facebook because I did not like the idea of combing the obituaries. But on my way to google, my wife said “check the obits.” I knew it then. I didn’t know her age as a teenager due to my lack of long-term vision and planning, but I knew she wasn’t young. So her death was definitely possible. 

I am not sure who will read this or if her sister will get a notification on her phone or not, but I hope her or Ms. Griffith’s daughter will be able to read it and know how much of an impact my junior year high school English teacher had on me. 

Cheers. 

- Anonymous 

(the next post will contain the letter; a 2000 word limit)

My sister, Linda Sharon Griffith, was born in Ft. Scott, Kansas to Mary H. and James Eugene Cantwell. She passed into a new life on September 03, 2012 in North Kansas City Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 69 after a life long battle with diabetes and other complications.. She was a teacher, a poet,a writer, a painter, a quilter and she loved to shop. Linda rescued dogs and two of her favorite were Ozzie and Bad Bob.She was a true friend  to all and worked the hot line for those in need of help during a crisis.
Linda had one child, a daughter, named Fortune Rebecca. Our family will miss her very much and we wish to thank her friends, Connie, Brenda and King and his wife and all of her new friends at the Soul Station Assembly of God Church in Independence, Missouri who opened their arms and hearts to her and welcomed her in her hour of need. 
Rest in peace, dear sister.

OBITUARY

Linda S. Nagel Griffith

January 3, 1943 – September 3, 2012

Mt. Moriah, Newcomer and Freeman Funeral Home & Mount Moriah Cemetery South

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