To my high school band teacher,
First I want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for everything you have taught me over the four years I have known you. You have taught me life lessons and lessons in music. You have shown me what it means to be a great friend and how to earn the respect from others. You have shown me that a life with music is better than a life without. You have shown me what it means to be a role model and what it means to be a good Catholic woman.
Second, I want to tell you that you still influence choices I make today. Though it's been less than a year since I graduated high school, I never would have expected you to still influence how I do certain things or act a certain way. I sometimes find myself talking with friends and hearing something that reminds me of you and I smile thinking, "I need to tell her about that then next time I see her." Certain songs on the radio will come on and I'll laugh and smile to myself while singing, humming and sometimes even dancing along to the song, even if it's just a classical piece of music.
You have always been there for me. The small, shy clarinet player my freshman year. I didn't know many people at the time and you helped me come out of my shell. Throughout freshman year, you became another mom rather than a teacher. My sophomore year you became one of my best friends and a role model. My junior year you showed me what it meant to be a virtuous woman. You showed me how respect is the most important thing to give and to earn. My senior year, you helped set me up for adulthood. We grew closer and I started to tell you everything, no matter how small it may seem. I would get on your nerves just like a daughter would with their mother. You comforted me in bad times and celebrated my good times.
You have truly changed my life for the better. You've shown me what it means to have faith and what it means to be a good rather than a nice person. You showed me that I can be myself, even if that does mean being a little odd. You've shown me that it's okay to not be okay and that when you aren't okay -- there is always someone who has your back.
I am so happy to call you my friend and my former teacher. The lessons you have taught me, inside the class and outside, will stick with me forever. I cannot thank you enough for being so kind and generous to me. I hope everyone can have a band teacher like you and will one day be able to call them their friend as well.
Best regards,
One of your favorites
