My Teacher

By John Weaver At school I learned to read and write, to add and take away, Of geography and history and sports I learned to play They taught me all about the world and even outer space And how to beat another as competition I would face I learned of lands and cultures that had a different cause And so we fought and beat them in many different wars They said that strength and power was the thing I needed most That I should learn to conquer others, no matter what the cost They taught me how to be a winner at my work and play And never mind the loser who may fall along the way Through all those years of learning the plan was plain to see, The only thing that mattered was what I could do for ME Then I met my teacher who taught me something new That all those things I’d learned had nothing at all to do With living life with purpose and thought for our fellow man By showing care and love to others as often as we can My teacher taught me that life is a level playing field That we’re all in it together sharing wounds that must be healed There simply is no difference between you and me We’re all God’s own children and one big family My teacher taught the needs of others and the hardships they have to face May well have been my own, if not for God’s good grace That handicaps and weaknesses are really there to prove How fortunate I am to see and talk and hear and move My teacher showed that happiness is just a case of choice Instead of choosing sadness we simply choose rejoice Rejoice that we are able to experience every day The beauty that the blind can’t see and words the mute can’t say To walk and talk and feed yourself are gifts you should embrace It’s the taking part that matters and not who wins the race And as each and every one of us is taking part in life What matters most is our gratitude regardless of our strife To be grateful for the gifts you have and not those you desire Is the secret to your happiness and to which you should aspire To show your love to others with help, support and care To let them know if needed that you are always there My teacher taught me lessons I never will forget; and I know it sounds absurd But she taught me all of this and yet…SHE NEVER SPOKE A WORD. (I call Emily my teacher because although she cannot speak and can do so little, she has taught me so much).