My Teacher

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Several weeks ago, I read a post from a fellow WP blog TheALK3RPost

Their post titled ‘Abraham Lincoln’s Famous Letter to His Son’s Teacher’ resonated with me.

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As I read the letter, I was thinking about what is taking place in my life now; what life is teaching me.  Cancer has helped transform me into a better person.  How is this so?  Life is short – even when it is long.

I am not always a good person.  But can I be better?  Yes – and cancer can help.

As I currently take a journey with cancer, I remind myself, what is important?  What am I doing that can make a difference or not make a difference?

Am I just here to exist?  It there a reason for cancer in my body?  How does it affect me?  How do I affect others?

Many questions with some answers.  So how does Abraham Lincoln’s letter to a teacher affect me today?

To read the complete letter Abraham Lincoln wrote visit TheALK3RPost blog by clicking this link: Abraham Lincoln’s Famous Letter to His Son’s Teacher

Here are some excerpts from that letter Lincoln wrote many years ago –

“My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.

So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can.

Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true.

Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win.

Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter.

Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it.

Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, in God.

This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.”

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For over a year now, my teacher is cancer.

My cancer is teaching me many things about life, about others, but more importantly about myself.

40 thoughts on “My Teacher”

  2. I totally resonate with what you’re saying in this post, Terry. Our illness and/or sudden life changing circumstances can become our teacher, our guides into places that we most probably would never have explored. Be well today my friend. 🙂

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  8. That was quite a sincere letter, that was written.
    Life has it’s many lessons for each and everyone of us. One thing is for sure, no matter what age we are, we never stop learning. What fascinates me, is we also never know what the next lesson will be. Be well my friend, and hope you are having a lovely day 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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