This is a story about Phyllis Crain. She was my 6th grade teacher at O.P. Earle Elementary School in Landrum, SC. She had a huge impact on my life. I'm sure we all can point to a teacher or two who influenced us a little differently than the other teachers in our lives. Mrs. Crain launched me onto a journey that would play a big part of shaping me into the person I am today.
The Plight of a Creative
If you know me at all or have been on this blog for any amount of time, you know that I am what some refer to as a "creative." That means I tend to always be thinking of different ways of doing things. Usually, when I say, "I've been thinking..." a mild moan rolls across the room as people suspect there will be money spent or time invested.
I can't tell you where this drive originated. I'm sure somewhere in my early childhood years, my parents empowered me to take chances and not worry about failure. My dad was real big on positive thinking. His "broken record" line was, "Son, you can do whatever you put your mind to." Eventually, I started school where thinking was something you did "inside the box" and if you veered over to the "dark side," the teachers would reel you back. Mrs. Crain resisted that urge and would empower me to chase my crazy ideas. Sometimes they worked and other times they needed retooling.
No more fighting
I'm sharing this in her memory. She won her 11 year battle with cancer yesterday. When I say she "won" I don't mean the doctor found a cure. I mean she's not fighting any longer as she moved from "living [here] with cancer" (her phrase) to living in Heaven without cancer. I hope you'll take time to watch this. It will inspire you!
"Today, I am going to spend the day living with cancer, not dying from cancer." - Phyllis Crain (Click Here to Tweet)
How about you? Did you have a teacher who had a little more influence on your life than the others?
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