The Many Faces of a Teacher
When we think of teachers, it’s easy to picture classrooms, chalkboards, and desks. Yet teaching is so much bigger than school. Every mentor, every friend who shares a lesson, every elder who tells a story, these too are teachers. On World Teachers’ Day, I find myself filled with gratitude for all the people who have taught me, formally and informally, knowingly and unknowingly.
Lessons Beyond Books
The lessons that shape us most deeply often come outside of books. A teacher might be a parent who models kindness, a colleague who shows patience, or a friend who demonstrates resilience in the face of difficulty. A teacher is a glowing face that models light and kindness. Gratitude allows us to see these moments as the treasures they are.
I remember moments when a simple sentence from someone shifted my whole perspective. At one Menlo College event, the speaker ended his talk with: “It’s not about perfection, it’s about passion. Let it rip.” These words have stayed with me my entire career and saved me from endless rewrites. These small exchanges may not have seemed important at the time, but gratitude brings them into focus. Each lesson is a thread in the tapestry of who we become.
Mentors as Guiding Lights
Mentors are teachers who walk beside us. They offer encouragement, challenge us to grow, and believe in us when we cannot yet believe in ourselves. I am profoundly grateful for the mentors who have walked with me through career shifts, spiritual growth, and personal challenges.
Their wisdom has not only shaped my path—it has shown me the importance of mentoring others. Gratitude invites us to give back what we’ve received, to become mentors ourselves, to pass along the light that was given to us. I take such joy in mentoring two rising tech stars. I no longer have the energy to be the “doer” but I can help with a kind ear and strong support and being a number one cheer leader!
Teachers of the Spirit
In addition to academic and personal teachers, I give thanks for spiritual teachers. They invite us to look inward, to explore the quiet spaces of the heart, to practice mindfulness and compassion. Their lessons often cannot be measured by grades or certificates, but by the depth of peace and love they awaken in us. My list of teachers is long and the lessons many, but all lead to the same teachings of light an love.
And gratitude itself is a spiritual practice. To notice, to appreciate, to give thanks. These are lessons that transform ordinary days into holy moments.
Gratitude as a Classroom
Gratitude turns life itself into a classroom. Every challenge becomes a lesson, every encounter an opportunity to learn. Gratitude asks: What can I learn here? and How can I grow? With this lens, every person we meet becomes a teacher, and every day a chance to study the art of living.
When I think of it this way, I see that being a student and being a teacher are not separate roles. We are always both, learning from one another, teaching by example, growing in gratitude together.
The Teacher Within
Finally, I give thanks for the teacher within. That inner voice that encourages, corrects, and inspires. Gratitude helps me hear that voice more clearly and trust its guidance. Just as mentors believe in us, gratitude teaches us to believe in ourselves.
Honoring the Circle
On this World Teachers’ Day, let us honor the circle of teaching and learning. Let us give thanks to those who taught us, to those we are teaching now, and to those yet to come. Teaching is not only about passing on information, it is about passing on love, hope, and wisdom.
Gratitude makes this circle complete. It transforms lessons into blessings and teachers into lifelong companions. Today and every day, let us be grateful for the wisdom that lights our way. Thank you to a lifetime of patient teachers.