An open letter to my favorite person and mentor,

I have told you this a million times, but thanks again for everything you have done for me over the years. You went from a stranger, to a teacher, to a coach, to a mentor, and now, I consider you my friend

In fifth grade you were just another teacher to me, just another woman standing at the front of a classroom at Sterling Elementary that I had to endure for an entire school year. But, it was only after I reflected on that school year as a soon-to-be middle schooler, that I realized you were pretty cool. In fact, I decided that I liked your personality so much that, at some point during the summer, I found you on Facebook and sent you a message. I don't remember what the message said, but sending it was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. I apologize for my terrible grammar at the time, I'm sure it drove you crazy!

In fifth grade, I didn't know what a mentor was, or that I needed to find my "person" to vent to. I didn't know that my teacher would become one of the most influential people in my life. All I knew was that I liked your personality and you were pretty funny. There was something about you that made me feel special and undoubtedly a big part of your classroom. From running errands for you to your cute notes on my assignments.

Throughout school, and during motivational speeches that I have attended.. "You need to have a person you can talk to" was brought up numerous times. I didn't realize that person for me was you until high school. I mean, prior to that I thought of you as a coach and as a teacher... one that I particularly liked, but I associated a "title" with you. You were my fifth grade teacher, Carly's mom, and the JV basketball coach, not anything that connected myself, to you. In high school, I had come to find out that simply being "my person" is really what you are. You have become so much more than any "title" to me. Although my second/technically third mom is quite fitting!

It's incredible how much has changed in our relationship since I first found you on Facebook. At first, you were a teacher I grew fond of, then you were a coach who changed how I looked at the adults around me, and now I can honestly say you've made me a better person from being my sounding board, giving me advice, and giving me insight into how you think. You've made me more empathetic, and thoughtful towards others just from talking with you about different things.

My first interaction with you outside of the fifth grade classroom was when you brought me up in summer league basketball after you talked to me at a summer clinic. I couldn't believe that I was given that amazing opportunity. Looking back, I realize that you were the first coach to truly see potential in me. Many coaches have told me that they saw potential in me after that, but you were the first, and that still means a lot to me.

Not only have you believed in me since I've gotten to know you, but you have shown me time after time how important it is to have someone there for you when you don't believe in yourself. You have helped talk me through so many different things that I can't even begin to reiterate them all. But, I have to make sure to thank you for the millionth time for putting up with me during my sophomore year of basketball. I vented to you after every single game that season and miraculously enough, you still talk to me. Knowing there was somebody in my corner throughout that season was one of the only things that made it bearable. And honestly, I learned more about myself from that season and talking to you about what was going on than I ever would have if the season would have proved to be a piece of cake for me to get through. So, thank you again for that ❤️

Not only are you my shoulder to lean on, but you have been the absolute best role model that I could possibly ask for. I know I have told you that many times but I can't remind you often enough. I have had many different coaches and teachers but you are the standard I set them against. Not a single coach has taught me life lessons that are comparable to what you taught me when you supported me in basketball from my sixth grade summer, on. No other teacher has "clicked" with me so well or made an effort to even try to know me as more than a decent athlete. Sure, some teachers I’ll have a hard time forgetting but eventually they will fade from my memory. I probably won’t be able to forget you.

Even in fifth grade I knew I was a lot like you, I had no idea to what degree, but I could definitely tell. Come to find out you are basically an older version of me! Good thing I admire you 😉

You have persevered through so much in the period of time that I have known you that it truly amazes me. When the accident happened, in a way, it made me see you as a completely different person. You went from someone I talked to about surface stuff like sports or family things, to analyzing aspects of life and having deep intellectual conversations with. I feel like I truly got to know you when you were struggling during that time. And by truly getting to know you I mean that you are undoubtedly the strongest woman I have ever met and I pray to God that you do not ever forget that.

I think I owe you another thank you and that's for the one thing I value the most in our relationship.. open honesty. Neither of us are the type of people broadcast emotion. If we cry, we would prefer no one knew.. Or saw. If we are angry at someone or about something we try to contain it. (Keyword-"try") As I got to know you, it became easier and easier to tell you how I felt about things and I think the same could be said for you. There's a certain unspoken level of trust between us so to speak. Even though I don't get to see you all that much, if you had a crappy day you know that you could talk to me, and vise versa. You know I'm more than happy to remind you how much you mean to me, because I don't think I can possibly remind you enough! (Case in point!)

Over time, you learned that when I asked a question I didn't want a one sentence answer, I wanted a thorough explanation. And once you determined that, it's how you responded. Even if I'm upset about something and it's blatantly obvious due to my response, you won't let me have the last word until I understand the situation. I don't think there's anyone else that I can say that about.

You don't just understand me on a surface level. You understand the way that I think and why I say and do certain things. You are the only person who genuinely "gets" me. We happen to have the same thought processes about most things, which helps. You value intellectual conversation.. and you've seen that I do, too. We have the same rationality, we both speak our minds, and we both judge people in generally the same way.

You are the only person that I can just talk to. I know I'm not going to be judged, I know I'm not going to be ridiculed, I can just talk. I can talk to you about anything or sit next to you in the absolute most comfortable silence. Just being around you makes me feel better. I can't explain it, just something about you makes calm and happy 😊

Some days I feel like you're my mom "Go to bed, it's a school night" (even though those conversations usually got carried on WAY longer than they should've 😉), other days I feel like you're my best friend, and yet others I feel like I'm back in your classroom and you're my teacher. I don't know how I was lucky enough to have you in my life but I really don't know what I'd do without you!

I told you that you were the perfect combination of a role model and a mentor, and I can honestly say that I was one hundred percent correct in saying that. I want to be like you not only in the way you handle difficult situations, but also in the way that you inspire me and many other kids that have come across you. I love you so much and I want you to know that you mean the world to me ❤️

I don't know if you will ever be the person you have been for me, for someone else... but if you are, I hope that you have learned as much from me as I have from you. Also, if there ever comes a point in time that someone younger than me comes to me for lifelong advice, I hope that I can be half the person you've been for me.

P.S. No matter how old I get, you will always be my person... my wonderfully cynical person ❤️