麻豆社

Good morning.

When I was in school we had a teacher who other teachers 鈥� and our parents 鈥� frequently referred to as 鈥榓 character鈥�. We always had a general sense of what it meant, but not quite. And as I鈥檝e grown older I find myself using the term 鈥榓 character鈥�, to describe people, feeling that it captures them completely, without fully knowing what I鈥檓 saying.

This particular teacher 鈥� the character 鈥� was on the face of it, not well suited to his chosen profession. He was impulsive around teenage boys, which was often a recipe for disaster. 鈥楩ield trips鈥� were sprung upon us at a moment鈥檚 notice 鈥� this was in the days before 鈥榟ealth and safety鈥� required a parental consent form for everything. Our kindly headmaster tried to rein him in, but to no avail 鈥� this master was a free spirit and acted as he saw fit.

Privately he would scold us for listening to the headmaster: 鈥渢hat fella would mind mice at a crossroads鈥� he would often say 鈥� as if being responsible and careful, was a trait entirely unsuited to the teaching profession. But we adored him 鈥� especially the fact that he appeared entirely unaware of the invention of the wristwatch. He kept time by means of a very large 鈥� and very loud 鈥� wind-up bedside alarm clock, that sat on his desk.

Teachers play a very important role in forming young minds of course. Their vocation, is to educate 鈥� but it is also to give permission to explore and expand our horizons and open our minds.

So, this morning, I鈥檓 grateful for those 鈥榗haracters鈥� who enter our lives at formative times, who have the courage and the comfort to walk to the beat of a different drum.

Amen.