Dear Kindergarten Teacher,

As adults, the weight of responsibility and stress often sits upon our shoulders and makes us wonder why we ever wanted to grow up in the first place. We are constantly faced with difficult decisions and circumstances that lead us to reminisce on more carefree days that once consisted of coloring, learning our sight words, and asking if we can stay up just a little longer. What many of us fail to see, however, is that those days weren't as simple as we thought they were. As I have grown into the person that I have become, I have had the realization that some of the most important life lessons come from the simple rules that we are taught in kindergarten.

Thank you for teaching me that sharing is caring. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are continuously sharing with others. We share laughs, we share memories, both good and bad, and most importantly, we share love with those around us. Without sharing, there would be no friendships, no funny stories to tell at our best friend's wedding, and no one to talk to when we're feeling down. You have helped me realize that the best moments in life happen when we have someone to share them with.

Thank you for teaching me to always listen to others. There are times where no words are needed and the only way to show that you truly care is by listening. You've taught me not to just hear the words but to actually listen to them—to listen to ideas, to listen to stories, and to just listen to the world around us because everything we hear in that particular moment only happens once in our lifetime.

Thank you for teaching me to learn from my mistakes. It's inevitable that we're going to make mistakes, we're only human, but it's what we choose to take from those mistakes that makes us stronger. Whether it's a small one or a large one, it's always possible to learn from things we do wrong because you taught me that, eventually, I'm going to get it right. It may be the first try, or the hundredth. Allowing our mistakes to help us grow instead of bringing us down is what makes us strong.

Thank you for teaching me to always treat others the way I want to be treated. Unfortunately, there are days where kindness is not something that we stumble upon. We are all so consumed with our busy lives doing what we need to do to survive in this world that we sometimes forget how to treat those around us. If we want respect, we must act respectfully; if we want to be loved, we must love, and if we want to be treated kindly, we must treat others with kindness.

Thank you for teaching me these simple rules. On our very first day of school we were told to sit on the carpet. In front of us were rules written on chart paper and you asked us to explain what they meant. I didn't realize then that these rules had two sets of meanings but now I do, and I can't thank you enough for that.

Sincerely,

Your Former Kindergartener