For Christian

I guess that I'm envious of your decision to go back to teaching. I don't know if that was a hard decision for you or not, with the obvious success you've had in the business world. It is something that pops into my mind from time to time, but I'm not sure about it-not sure I'm quite ready yet. But what you are doing takes a great deal of guts and it's something to admire.

So, here are my thoughts about you and going back into the classroom. They are from the heart.

Your posts in Twitter reflect a nervousness, which is certainly to be expected. But after having met you, I know that your humor, the easy way you carry yourself, your confidence, and your love for kids will carry the day, so that when you stand in front of them again, they'll know that they've got a teacher.

You will now have more than one kid, and you get know them like your own, so when they come in not feeling well, or they come in after getting an A on a test in another class, you get to feel that, experience that, be a part of that.

You get to make that comment, that small touch on the shoulder, the slight smile when no one else is looking, to let that kid know you care, and be that person that might just make the slightest difference in a kid's life, that could be the biggest difference in that kid's life.

You get to look into the eyes of a kid, and know that two parents stare back, and that you are a partner in the growth and education of a child, and that those parents depend on you, seek answers from you, because you are the teacher, and that still means something.

You get to throw out your lesson plans, and sit down and talk with them, to see how they feel about life, what excites them, what scares them, what they want to do with their lives. And then you get to challenge them, assure them, and be a champion for them.

You get to look up from your desk 10 years from now, when that long forgotten student walks in with a smile, to say thank you for impacting their life, when you would have never thought that you did.

Congratulations on your decision. You'll be great.

tags: christianlong