Rather than discuss ideas and theories, Sr Marian shares with our readers some of the precious lessons she has learnt about education through experiences that touched her heart. These events also show why teaching has meant the world to her.
I have not done anything very big in my teaching and in the administration of schools as a principal. Yet I would do anything to continue to teach. Why? The following experiences will hopefully answer this question.
Heart-warming experiences, after all, touch us and change us far more deeply than beautiful theories. Allow me to go back to some such experiences which I was blessed to live as a teacher and as a principal.
“Thank you for teaching my wife!”
One evening I received a phone call from someone whose voice or name I did not recognize. I responded to it rather carefully. “Are you Sister Marian?” a man’s voice asked me. To my answering Yes, the person said he was Justin (all names in this article have been changed). He continued, “I want to thank you for teaching my wife Julie.” I could not recall who Julie was, since I had worked in schools for more than thirty years, either as a teacher or as the principal. He said, “Sister, a few days ago, my wife and I had a quarrel. I was so angry with her, that I closed the bedroom and left her outside. She too was upset and angry. An hour later, she knocked at my door. I did not open it. She continued to knock, but I refused to open the door. At last, determined to give her another piece of my angry mind, I opened the door. As I did that, before I could even open my mouth, she said, ‘Justin, I am sorry for making you angry, and I want to apologize for that. Even if you do not want me to enter the room, it is OK , for I cannot rest till I do that. Sr. Marian’s words are ringing in my mind, ‘Do not go to sleep till you settle your squabbles.’
To read the entire article, click Subscribe
Sr Marian Mathew PBVM
