Some teachers are bestowed with the special gift of bringing out the best in students, leaving lifelong cherished memories. For me, it was one teacher I had in class seven of my convent school. She had a sparkle in her eyes, an expressive fire in her voice, and kindness and care in her teaching. Above all, she kindled something I’ve treasured the most—my creative spark!
When I entered her class, I was still shuddering from the painful effects of my previous teacher in class six, who had spared no student from her brutal ruler or harsh, insulting tongue. This style of instruction had crushed my childlike spirit badly.
I felt as if I were stumbling through a coal-black, empty wilderness with no solace or hope. That’s when things changed. This present teacher brought English poetry and classics to life as she engaged us in poetry recitation, dramatizing renowned works beautifully.
I especially enjoyed her writing assignments, where we got to invent our own stories and poems. I suddenly felt my natural creative fires emerging freely from her teaching methods and encouragement. In her class, I wrote some of my earliest short stories.
Additionally, with her Kathakali background, she engaged us in other expressive creative forms like dancing. I enjoyed being a part of her choreographed, costumed dance on stage, displaying the sun in its many shades. That year with her was the most memorable of my school days.
After this, our paths went in different directions. I lost track of her. It was many years later that I realized I still stored her memories in my heart like a gilded portrait. Thanks to my research on social media, I found her. Her response was one of surprise and delight, as sparkling and warm as ever!
Yet, I ask myself now, after all this time, whether she actually even remembers me among her hundreds of students over the years on whom she left an impact. No matter what, I continue to cherish her for the golden memory of her profound effect on my creativity and morale. I wish her abundant blessings for the beautiful human being she is!
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If this blog inspired you, share your favorite teacher’s story in the comments below—I’d love to hear it.
– Amita Raj
About the Author:
About the Writer
Amita Raj has always loved creating imaginatively rich stories through the melody and colors of language. Her writing journey began at the age of eight, when a classroom assignment asked her to write the autobiography of a pen—an experience that sparked her lifelong passion for storytelling.
Since then, she has been enchanted with writing, reading, and immersing herself in the works of Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Shakespeare, and Edgar Allan Poe. She has contributed to publications such as Deccan Herald, India Currents, Twist & Twain magazine, and more recently writes regularly for Story Scrapers, ArtoonsInn Poetry Parlour, and Soul Craft.
Amita looks forward to continuing her lyrical journey, sharing with the world many more short stories, poems, and novellas that celebrate imagination, emotion, and the power of language.
