Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade
 class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie.
Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved 
them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his
 seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson hadwatched 
Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the 
other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly
 needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got tothe point where
 Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with 
a broad red pen, making bold X's and the F's on his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review 
each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.However, 
when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.Teddy's first 
grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He 
does his work neatly and has good manners...heis a joy to be around"

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well 
liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a 
terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on
 him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much
 interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't 
taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't
 show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he 
sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas 
presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper,except for
 Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper
 that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs.Thompson took pains to open it in
 the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to 
laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones
 missing, and a bottle that was one quarter fullof perfume. But she 
stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the 
bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her 
wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,
"Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very
 day,she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, 
she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention 
toTeddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive.The more
 she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of theyear, 
Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite
 her lie that she would love all the children the same,Teddy became one
 of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling 
herthat she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote
 that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was 
still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things
 hadbeen tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, 
andwould soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.
 Heassured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite 
teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he
 explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a 
little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and 
favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer the 
letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that
 spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He
 explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was 
wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the 
wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, 
the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was 
wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their
 last Christmas together. They hugged eachother, and Dr. Stoddard 
whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear,"Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing
 in me. Thank you somuch for making me feel important and showing me 
that I could make a difference."

Mrs.Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said,"Teddy, 
you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make
 a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."