The best teachers can teach a child happiness for life. But extraordinary students also often change the teacher’s life, making it better and kinder. That’s exactly what today’s story is about. On the first day of the new school year, Mrs. Thompson came to her 5th grade, which she received last year. She told the children that she loved them all, even though she couldn’t stand one of them, Teddy. Mrs. Thompson felt that she was really happy to emphasize his mistakes in her notebooks.
As a new teacher of the class, she was obliged to familiarize herself with a detailed biography and characteristics for each child. She left Teddy at the very end. When Thompson finally delved into his dossier, she was in for a shock. The teacher of the first grade called the boy a smart and cheerful child who copes with homework perfectly. In the second class, the characteristics have changed somewhat. 
Teddy was still a great student, his classmates adored him, but his mother was terminally ill at home and the boy was very worried. The following year, the child’s mother died. The boy tried to keep his studies in good condition, but his father showed no interest in this. The teacher was very afraid that such a life would completely change the boy. And so it happened. In the characterization of the fourth grade, a completely different image arose. The boy was characterized as withdrawn and inactive in his studies.
He did not communicate with his friends and even sometimes fell asleep in class. The young teacher covered her head with her hands. She understood everything about this boy, and she felt more ashamed than ever in her life. She decided to completely change her attitude towards the student. And after a while something happened that left a mark on her heart forever. For the Christmas holidays, Mrs. Thompson’s table was littered with children’s gifts. All of them were wrapped in bright paper with beautiful ribbons. 
Only one gift stood out because it was wrapped in thick brown paper from a grocery bag. When the classmates realized that Teddy had given the teacher this gray bundle, they started laughing. They were even more amused by an old bracelet, which was missing a few stones and a printed perfume bottle. But the teacher herself realized that she would never be able to treat the boy as before. The children’s laughter died down when she put on the bracelet and said aloud: “What a beauty!”.
After that, she dripped perfume on her wrist, brought it to her nose and appreciated the smell as divine. The boy was the last to leave the classroom. He went up to the teacher and said, “Now you smell like my mom.” The young woman’s soul turned upside down. Now she went to school not just to teach arithmetic, reading or writing. The teacher began to instill in the children a love of learning. They worked especially hard with Teddy. A year later, the boy slipped a note under the door saying that she had become the best teacher of his life. 
Then their paths diverged. After 6 years, Mrs. Thompson found a short letter from Teddy on her desk at school: “I finished school third in my class. Thanks to you, my best teacher.” Four years later, Mrs. Thompson was still working at the same school. And then, with the next mail, a message from Teddy came to the school. Now an adult young man wrote that he managed to finish college perfectly. I had to pay for the training myself.
The guy worked nights and studied during the day. At times it was so hard that he was ready to drop out of school. But then I remembered Mrs. Thompson, who, like my mother, always said that he would definitely become an educated person and a good specialist. The teacher received the next letter again after 4 years. Her wonderful “boy” Teddy continued his studies. The message was brief and informed that he had received a Doctor of medical sciences degree. 
At the end of the letter was signed Theodore F. Stellard. Too much time has not passed before the next message. Already in the spring, Mrs. Thompson was taking out of the envelope with interest a photograph of not only Teddy, but also a beautiful young girl. On the back was written: “We are with the bride.” Stellard was going to get married. “Would you agree, my dear teacher, to take the place at my wedding that is due to the groom’s mother?” read the excited Mrs. Thompson.
Of course, the woman agreed to attend the wedding of her beloved student. Dr. Stallard noticed with excitement that the teacher had her mother’s bracelet on her arm, and when she came up to congratulate them, he smelled her native perfume. After the ceremony, Teddy thanked Mrs. Thompson for completely changing his life. She replied that he had changed her fate. “I didn’t know how to teach until I met you,” the teacher said. It’s a wonderful story, isn’t it?
It appeared thanks to Elizabeth Ballard, who published it back in 1974 in the magazine “Home Life” as her artwork. At the same time, it is written so touchingly and realistically that serious doubts creep in, and whether it was invented or copied from real people… Unfortunately, we will never know about this. All people in the world are teachers and students from the moment of birth. By our actions and deeds, we show others our attitude towards them and the world. And this is equally important for us and for others.