Although I am not a person who would ever choose to go back, even if I had the choice, I am grateful for the people who have helped to shape my life and who have taught me, in classes and by their lives, to be a good person.

Even though I don’t want to go back to my childhood, I love to remember. Memories warm my heart. Last week, I began writing this blog. I don’t know why I had Melba R. on my mind, but I did. She was the first teacher I remember who taught me without me knowing that I was being taught. She also influenced my own teaching style as I have taught various classes within my church and when I have been a substitute teacher.

I received a phone call this week from my parents telling me that Greg, Melba’s husband (of probably close to 70 years, I don’t really know) had passed away. I don’t know many details, but I have the email address of their son and I will contact him. An older son is married to my cousin, so we, as I have found so often in life, have many connections to the people who most influence us and change our lives.

Melba R. was my church teacher when I was 14 and 15 years old. Each week, she taught us a well prepared lesson. I looked forward to attending her classes. Even when I was sick, I hated that I had to miss her class. She was very wise. She always brought a picture of a rose for us to color. (It was the symbol of our age group.) I didn’t realize until years later that I learned more from her because she kept my hands busy while she shared her inspirational message. When learning styles became popular, I enjoyed studying how we learn; now I can watch someone or talk to a person for just a few minutes and am able to discern his or her learning style. When she taught us, she just knew it. She didn’t have to study learning styles. She understood what learning styles were, and her goal was to help each young woman in her class to know she was loved and that she could make good decisions that would give her happiness in her life.

She took us to her house and helped us perfect our cooking skills. I remember looking through a stack of music–she allowed me to do that–because I love music. I now have a stack of favorite music of my family sitting by my piano. I loved being with her because I felt the love she had for me. Even now, as I think of her, I have a warm feeling of being loved that fills my heart. My only regret is that I didn’t tell her what an impact she had on my life.

I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best by doing. And in a traditional classroom situation, I learn best by taking notes or drawing or doing something with my hands. Long before we discovered learning styles, I was captivated and learning lessons I would need in my life because I was coloring a picture every week.

I miss her and think of her often when I am preparing a handout or activity for a class I will teach. I think of her husband playing the organ beautifully. He always wore soft-soled shoes to play.

January is thank you month. To whom will you say “thank you” for influencing your life for good? Thank you, Melba R., for teaching me about love.