This is the son who didn’t like school; the one who’d rather have been playing for all of those twelve years. In high school he had a teacher who he felt was against him. She taught 10th grade English. At the end of his 10th grade year she moved up and taught 11th grade English, so he had her for a second year. No improvement in the relationship. He hated the boring books she made him read, the picky grammar corrections on everything he turned in, and the mediocre grades she gave him no matter how hard he tried. 

And so, to ease the pain for himself and one of his friends, the two boys would sit in the back of the room (obviously a boy who disliked his teacher would sit as far away from her as possible) and would make little bird sounds and other sounds to mimic the hum of the computer lab behind them. Sometimes they’d get away with it, many times they did not. It made her angrier and more determined against my son. Against all odds, he had her for a teacher as a senior. She was like a ghost in a haunted house; always lurking, a dark shadow, a menacing presence he couldn’t escape; until graduation. His captivity ended in 1996.

Four years of college were much less painful, but he still didn’t love going to class. He finished college in 2000 and promised himself he’d never have to go to school again. What a relief to his soul. But God had other plans. He brought our son a wonderful wife, two beautiful children and then after much resistance, God led him to graduate school.  On May 10th, 2008, our son earned his master’s degree. His high school English teacher would be stunned. But I suspect if she knew, she would be proud. I believe she saw more potential in him than he did in himself. 

His dad and I always believed in him, too, but the belief of parents can only take a child so far. Over the last seven years we’ve watched a young woman, his wife, give life to our son. She now has the baton in the relay race. She has been his coach and his cheerleader. It was her encouragement that gave him the courage to try school again. This time he did exceptionally well. No more bird noises from the back of the room. 

He’s even talked of getting his doctorate! Wonders never cease!