Reflection on a Special Person

I transferred high schools between my freshman and sophomore years. I wasn't too keen on the idea (and that was an understatement). I hated the idea of making new friends and moving away from the home that I spent most of my childhood in. However, I had no choice in the matter.

I kicked and screamed and had an attitude that only a mother could forgive. I started school in the fall with a chip on my shoulder. However, it wasn't long until I met a very special teacher who helped pave the path to where I am today.

She wasn't your ideal teacher. She was full of controversy and a straight shooter. Her name was Mrs. Julia Dutton. The woman was anything but a saint, but she had so much life experience and love for her students that allowed me to push myself beyond anyone's expectations academically, socially, and spiritually.

Mrs. Dutton spent much of her spare time sharing stories from her haunting past but also funny stories and life lessons that she learned along the way. Some of the things she told us, I thought I would never encounter, and now as I sit here typing this, I realized that she was prepping me for my career in teaching.

Not many teachers cared for my class. To this day, I can't figure out why. However, Mrs. Dutton took us under her wing and taught us how to think for ourselves and how not to settle but to fight for something that we truly believe is right. She had a dry sense of humor and appeared to be a crusty, cranky woman, but deep down she was genuine and Christ-centered role model.

I was able to talk with her a few times after graduation. It was joy to see her face light up about how I have recognized my calling by God to be a teacher. She told me that she knew I was going to be a teacher, and I never believed her. She told me that we can't fight against God's calling because in the end, it's going to happen. We shared lots of laughs of funny things that went on the classroom, and also shared heartaches that we were burdened with about our students and our professional roles as teachers.

Just before leaving for Indonesia, Mrs. Dutton had a heart attack. I was graced with the opportunity to visit her in the hospital. Though she was struggling to recover, she was determined to get out of the hospital and return back to her daily life.

As time passed, she was diagnosed with N-stage cancer. My mom spent time visiting and caring for her with a few other women in the community. She was a fighter but she knew that her time was limited. She kept telling my mom that she was going to spend Christmas with Jesus. She did indeed. In the early hours of Christmas morning, Mrs. Dutton passed away in her sleep.

It's hard to believe that she has left this earth to join an eternal celebration in heaven, but she left some impacting footprints in this world. Some of which I will cherish in my heart forever.