DEAR ABBY: From fourth to ninth grade, I attended a small Christian school in Delaware. It was a great experience because the teachers and the students were able to really get to know one another.
One of the teachers, Mr. C., was one of the best a student could ever hope to have. Learning was fun in the subjects he taught, especially U.S. history. Can you imagine taking a class of 20 on an overnight camping trip to Gettysburg?
While talking to my mom, who was a co-teacher with Mr. C., about an upcoming business trip to Asheville, N.C., Mom mentioned that Mr. C. lives there and encouraged me to try to find him. Well, it turned out that Mr. C. was the only Mr. C. in the Asheville phone book.
We spent a wonderful afternoon reminiscing about his days as a teacher and mine as a student. Although I don't remember much about the subjects he taught, I will never forget the time he spent with us -- laughing while we played football on the playground, crying when a classmate passed away. He was always there for us.
One of his favorite lines was: "Don't hurt him! He is the only one we have like him!" Now that I work with children, I find myself using his favorite phrase.
Abby, please encourage your readers to take the time to look back and thank those teachers who made a difference in their lives. They helped to make us who we are today, and it would be rewarding for them to see the fruits of their labors. -- GRATEFUL IN NORTHERN OHIO
DEAR GRATEFUL: I have said it before and I'm pleased to say it again: Everyone wants to know that he or she has made a difference. Teachers don't earn much in the way of salaries; letters and calls of appreciation from former students can be extremely gratifying to former teachers who have helped to shape our lives. So if you've been putting it off, why not do it now?