My husband held out his palm to reveal tiny apple seeds from the delicious apple he had just eaten.
“What are you going to do with those seeds?” my mother asked. “Plant them,” he replied.
When my mom heard his answer, she had me drive her to the local tree nursery, where she bought him an apple tree with a big ball of roots. Upon return, my mom presented the tree to my husband and said, “Happy forty-fifth birthday! I’d like to see you eat an apple from this tree before I die.” And she did.
My husband’s birthday tree has been a blessing. It provides shade in the summer. He peels and serves apple quarters to the grandchildren and our neighbor’s goats.
Apples are also a symbol for teachers. I have been gifted a crystal apple, apple coffee mugs, and apple bookmarks. As educators, we plant for a time we may never see.
Maybe apples symbolize teaching because school starts in the fall. I took my teacher an apple and sent my children with apples, and the tradition continues today.
Planting small seeds can entail helping a student fill in the gaps in their learning. Maybe it’s as simple as how to form each letter correctly. Maybe it’s teaching a budding artist how to hold a paintbrush. Tiny seeds become trees.
We can tutor, giving of our time and talents at the local library. Or we can volunteer to feed the hungry at the local shelter. One of the hardest things for me to comprehend is how many students live at a homeless shelter and do their homework in a crowded room full of noise.
Birds perch in the branches of the trees we plant. Former students return to see teachers and say, “Thank you for being that person in my life.” It matters more than anyone can calculate. Thinking back to that teacher who believed in you is like perching in that tree that a teacher planted. Teaching in any setting is so rewarding. If no one has told you today, “Thank you.” And keep doing it.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and sahinsezerdincer.)
Theresa Parker Pierce lives in historic Salisbury, North Carolina, where she enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has thirty-five years of experience in teaching reading and history. Theresa has a master’s degree in education and is National Board certified. As a two-time Rowan Salisbury Teacher of the Year, Theresa enjoys storytelling about her childhood in eastern North Carolina and giving tours in Rowan County. Her manuscript, Up Dunn's Mountain, won first place for Young Adult Literature at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. She is a member of Word Weavers International. A historic docent, Theresa shares her volunteer time between the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer and the Rowan Museum in Salisbury. With a closet full of costumes, Theresa dresses in period attire and is a toastmaster who speaks to historic groups, senior citizens, and her favorite children.