I teach a course called The Power of Positive Thinking. Our motto is, Being Positive in Not Pretending Everything is Good. It is Finding the Good in Everything! Obviously, there is nothing good about the coronavirus itself. Thousands of people have taken ill or died as a result of this horrible pandemic. However, there is some good resulting from the virus. Busy families are spending more quality face-to-face time together than they may ever have. They are even finding time to share a meal together. People are realizing the importance of being with those that they may not be able to spend time with right now, such as grandchildren, cousins, aunts, or uncles. Heroes (such as first responders, health care workers, and service people) are stepping up to ensure that people’s health care and essential needs are being met. Of equal importance are you, our educators, who have provided quality virtual learning opportunities to students during the remaining months of school. I salute you and owe you a debt of gratitude for continuing to grow the dendrites (brain cells) of students despite the fact that you could not engage in face-to-face instruction.

I knew at the age of six that I wanted to be a teacher. I used to line my dolls up in rows in my bedroom and teach them for hours. I didn’t have a single behavior problem! My Chatty Cathy doll would not even talk until I wanted her to. Young teachers are pondering, What in the world is a Chatty Cathy? She was a doll with a string in her neck and when you wanted her to talk, you would simply pull the string. When school resumes, I will be starting my 47th year in education. I have not regretted one day of my decision to become a teacher! In fact, teaching is the only profession that impacts every other profession! Every doctor, nurse, and paramedic providing healthcare for pandemic victims learned how to do what they do from a teacher. Never underestimate the difference we make! Whether virtual or in person, we teach! Therefore, we possess the gift to change the world!