A letter to a former mentor

Hello Mr. Larsen,

It's possible you don't remember me, at least not by name, but I was in poetry class with you sometime at the end of 2006, I think fourth term. I guess it was my junior year. Well, I'm a freshman at Aquinas College now, two years later. I just picked up my sealed journal from your poetry class a few weeks ago, and I wanted to thank you. It was late one night, or, rather, early one morning when I decided to read it. I was sitting with my friends Joel and Conor when I remembered that journal, and how you instructed us to keep it until college, then read it. I literally ran upstairs to get it.

I started at the beginning, reading aloud. It was a huge shock to me, to read about my pathetic little struggles from junior year. I realized the magnitude of how much I have grown up in the past two years, as well as how much learning and growing I have yet to do. Going back and reading that journal really did teach me a valuable lesson. I got a chance to really look back at myself, and realized the futility of putting myself on a pedestal. I really try not to put myself on a pedestal, but sometimes it happens without me even being concious of it. I truly understand now that as evolved or educated as I may think I am, I still have learning and growing yet to do.

I've never burned, or otherwise destroyed anything I've written before, but I took that journal, crumpled up each and every page as I read it, and burned it all, just to confirm the fact for myself that I am past that point in my life. Though that person two years ago was me--one version of me, at least--I am different now. At least a bit more grown up. Reading that journal completely tore me apart. I couldn't even believe some of the things I had written. I couldn't believe how absolutely pathetic I sounded.The only saving grace in all of this was the last page, when you told us to write a letter to ourself, in the future. That was the only part I could even come close to identifying with, and I was grateful for that.

Anyway, Mr. Larsen, thank you so much for being the only teacher to date who has forced me to question myself. Thank you for providing me with the most valuable class of my life so far. You taught me one of the most important things I could ever learn-- to think for myself. Keep up the good work. Really. You've changed my life. Thank you for giving me a completely different perspective on education. Thank you for helping me realize that as smart, or evolved as I believe I am at any given point in my life, I still have so much more potential to develop on. And most of all, thank you for teaching me how to learn.

You're the best!!! And I really hope you're still kicking along, strong as ever. Really, I know you must be. I'll most likely come visit at some point.

Sincerely,
Ellen