Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

to the various folks who have walked into my life.  People, whether they know it or not, have such a powerful  influence on  us, or at least me.   I discovered shortly after leaving college the powerful influence I could have upon others when two folks shared how I had helped them.  ‘Mo’, short for Maureen, was one of my three college freshmen roommates my Jr year at OSU.  She was having trouble with fitting in, and being a freshman, balancing working at the hospital and schoolwork, and fitting in and being freshman.   She had a hard first year and I knew it.     It wasn’t until a couple years later when Mo and I ran into each other at Uno’s, over a pizza and some beer I learned how hard she struggled.  She shared how thankful she was that I was there, listening to her, and keeping her alive.   I never knew I kept her from ending her life.    Almost a day later my Dad shared that he had a message from one of my high school friend’s.  Well, Kerri wasn’t a friend really but I tutored her in math.  He said that she really appreciated all the help I gave her and that now with young ones she was finding she could help them in math cause of the help I had given her.    I am thankful that both Mo and Kerri had shared how how I had helped them.  They caused me to realize that we can have huge effects on the lives of others around us.  I would say they, Mo particularly, got me thinking about how important it is to be kinder to others since you have no idea what battles they are fighting.

And so this year I want to make sure that I thank some folks who I know I thanked along the way but I want to reach out again and say thank you.   These folks aren’t in my IRL where I could give them a hug and a thanks, but I do think of them:

I am Thankful to Linda Harmon.  What a profound effect she has had on our lives.  When Michael’s school back in ‘97  told us he would never, ever read and there was nothing we could do she stepped into my life.   Well, not in IRL, but through constant emails, advising me to see this specialist or that one, and to never, ever give up.   I followed her advice and 6 months after she walked in Michael was reading at a mid-4th grade level.  Not bad for a first-grader.   We kept in contact for a couple years and then she walked away from our lives.  I hope she knows what a profound effect she had, but I wish she could see this kid now….

And I am Thankful to LPS, Michael’s first school where we were told he would never, ever read, and that there was nothing I could do about it.  Without their extreme negative attitude the fire to fight would not have been lit.   Thankyou LPS for lighting that fire that permitted me to learn how to be an advocate for my child.    I learned about homeschooling thanks to LPS too.

And I am Thankful  to Shirin, a neurologist in the Baltimore area.  When we had little money and found that Michael needed Fastforward to correct his auditory processing disorder we needed to find a SLP to administer the program, and have it be at a price we could afford.  Shirin, a person we never met IRL,  came out on the net offering her services as an administrator,  pro-bono.   She had taken her daughter through FFW and wanted to help other parents.   What a god-send too.  She offered encouragement particularly when Michael’s AP system was changing oh-so-slowly.   Without her there I don’t know how we could have done FastForWord and while I thanked her at the time, I hope she knows what a profound effect she had, but I wish she could see this kid now…….

And to Frankie, Jane, Michele, and Ang for being a www friend this past year, thank you.  You have each helped me in so many ways.