LEARNING TODAY’S LIFE’S LESSONS YESTERDAY

Hello from what was room three-twenty-one,
Eyeing at the remnants of her classroom,
Left time rewinding to the mid-eighties. 

Little did I know the challenge I faced,

On the first day when I entered her class,

Finally, I took my seat, near the front.

 

Reminiscing, I can hear her lectures,

Of what was not just read in our textbooks,

Mostly muted intentional advice.

 

Memories now remain omnipresent,

Years later, I still listen for her voice,  

Sharing with me, one last lesson of life.

 

Once or maybe more than a dozen times,

Played out in my mind, like an endless play,

Her song and dance perfectly synchronized.

 

On the first day, seconds after roll call,

Made her guidelines clear, but wasted no time, 

Opened her first lesson with a lecture.

 

Realizing she just expected more,

Effortlessly, she found my learning niche,

Yet, she never lowered expectations.

 

Enthusiastically, she taught each class,

Always with precision and perfection,

Recalling every single song and dance,

 

Beyond everyday lectures and lessons,

In her excitement, she seized my weakness,

Only guided my journey through my strengths.

 

Leaving my pride shaken with each grade earned,

On impromptu quizzes and scheduled tests,

Grudgingly, my approach was forced to change.

 

Yet, my eyes stared at this one woman show,

Creating cherished lifetime tales to tell,

Leaving the smile, I still wear on my heart.

 

After the first week of school, I was lost,

Some more academics would have sunk in,

Should?, could?, would?, had if I put in the time.

 

Wondering what I got myself into,

I felt like a failure for the first time,

Thinking about how I’ll tell Mom and Dad.

 

Hoping and praying for improvement daily,

Grades plummeted, but I kept coming back,

Learning today’s life’s lessons yesterday.

 

Only if I kept up with her fast pace,

Ruminating years of study habits,

I still don't know how and where I went wrong.

 

As much as I tried, I struggled each day,

My grip held on and she wasn’t letting go,

Changing teachers was not a choice given.

 

I remained immersed and fascinated,

Not just by the content she presented,

Though she managed finding the real me.

 

Obstacles of my past stood in the way, 

Subsequently, it seemed like time stood still,

Handing me one chance to see what I missed.

 

Somehow, she knew the man I would become,

But unbeknownst to me, she invested,

Her energy, her time and her wisdom.

 

Simply, I owe a debt of gratitude,

Between a shared hug and her telling me,

“Better yet, pay it forward, then you’re debt free.”