Now That's Dedication

This morning I attended a memorial service at my old high school for a science teacher who died earlier this week. It came as quite a shock to me when I learned that my high school biology teacher passed away. It was almost four years ago that I took summer bio. It's kind of weird because that was the summer my grandmother passed away. As I thought about my experience having Mr. Seigman as my teacher, I couldn't remember whether or not he had been helpful or understanding when my grandmother passed. I wondered about that, because in my mind my feelings for him would have perhaps depended if I felt he had been sympathetic to me. A moment later I realized that my thinking was perhaps a bit selfish. No matter what a person has done to us, we have an obligation as human beings to treat people as human beings as decently as possible.

Attending his memorial service was a way for me to learn more about the man, to pay my respects, and to put into perspective one man's contributions to a community of people. As I listened to the reflections which were offered I thought about the fact that so often what we see are snapshots of who people really are. It isn't unless we develop meaningful relationships with people that we can really get to know them. If we haven't gotten to know a person, we can only rely on the word of those who have built those relationships. I thought back to something my best friend said earlier in the week, and something he has in his away message. He paid homage to this man, his high school biology teacher, by saying thank you. Sometimes we don't take the time to say thank you. We don't say thank you to those who teach us, who lead us, who inspire us, to those who serve as catalysts for the personal change which transform our lives.

It's amazing to me that this man graduated from the very school we attended just five years before beginning his teaching career. It's amazing to me that he spent 37 years teaching at the school that he attended. Why is it amazing? Because it shows dedication to a place which undoubtedly offered him many opportunities. It showed commitment to the students whom he taught practical things such as biology, but also taught impractical things such as courage. My best friend's mother told me how the one lesson she knows her son took away is to "hold on to your convictions." I'm quite sure that it has been passed on to me by KG, my bestey. So for that I can too be grateful.

Isn't it amazing how people can intentionally and unintentionally change lives.

So thank you Mr. Seigman.

Siggy, take your rest.