The 1980s. Uncle
Ronnie was the President of the United States.
Perestroika was all the rage.
Trickum Middle School in Lilburn, Georgia, was my middle school. Teachers – wonderful teachers – were my
extended family. My parents could not
have entrusted me to a better group of men and women. They were empathic. They were firm. They were generous. They were Socratic. They each had a unique style. They each cared deeply for our sovereignty
and for our future prospects.
One particular teacher, Mrs. June McPherson, provided
consistent and commendable language arts and drama education to my peers and to
me. She epitomized the structured,
traditional English teacher. As I look
back on this approach to teaching, I am thankful that she served up her work in
this manner. At that time, it was tough
– tough to recall grammar rules, tough to endure the red ink, and tough to
generate countless creative ideas and approaches. But endure we did. We learned the five-paragraph essay. We stretched our imaginations. We did so, unwittingly, because we had an
insatiable thirst to do good things. Great teachers like Mrs. McPherson, humbly
and generously, inspired many of these good things. It is these good things that good people
carry within themselves today.
On this, her 80th birthday, I wish her a very
happy birthday. It is lives like hers
that shaped and colored lives like mine. I
am a poet. I am a leader. I am a servant. I am a songwriter. I am a businessman. That’s quite an accomplishment for such a
modest artist such as June McPherson. We
should all be so fortunate to be in the company of the same.
