For Your "Mr. Jurek"

Mrs. Glover (and her husband, Jeff) - my elementary teacher and the parents of a very good childhood friend. Two of the most wonderful people out there.  

I ran into a former middle school teacher this past weekend at a funeral and it has prompted a lot of thought about growing up and particularly about my school days at Orono. It is not something I think about very often, which is somewhat intentional. It's a time of my life that I appreciate now for what it forced me to become but it isn't something I hold onto as it is not a source of great confidence for me. There were some really fun parts about high school - team sports, being around friends all day, English class, falling in love the first time ('kid-love' that is). Those are probably the things I appreciate most about my Orono years. There were a lot of challenges back then, too. And I imagine it's still difficult for teenagers as they continue to try anything and everything to find their place of belonging as they get to know themselves better. I fear the day when my child becomes old enough to face those years. I know they can be brutal for some. They weren't brutal for me but I have a bit of angst thinking about who I was then because I am proud of who I am now. And that person is very, very different. But above all of that, the one thing that stands out to me more than anything else about high school is the teachers I had along the way. 

I had some incredible teachers. And I'm sure every school has them but I think the teachers are the best thing about Orono. When talking to my former teacher on Saturday, he said something that has been stuck in my mind since then. He was telling me what he's up to now since he retired and he said, not in any malicious way at all, if he would have known about his current job back then he never would have gone into teaching because it was the most thankless period of his entire life. And in reflecting about that, I thought that maybe it's because I think Orono has some of the most entitled, snobby, students out there, so no wonder it was thankless. But I also think those students exist everywhere. It saddens me to think that teaching is a thankless job. It is probably one of the most important jobs and in my life, some of my teachers have affected me in ways they probably will never understand. I am so grateful for the things they taught me, the ways they inspired me, pushed me, supported me and for the person I've become, partly because of their influence. And if only I had the maturity and perspective then that I have now, I would have told them that every day. 

So, for the Mr. Jurek, Mrs. Glover, Mr. Erickson, Ms. Lubke, Mr. Williams, Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Cherry or Mr. Eklund you had in your life, let us give thanks and always be grateful. 

Pool day with Gabe Glover & Kelsey M. 

Because it's too funny not to share...