The Daily Writing prompt asks – Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

Wow, I had to pause on that one, I’ve had a lot of teachers in my many years of life and so many different areas of it.

If you’re talking about a traditional teachers K-12 or a college professor it brings me to two people. Two of my high school teachers, a biology teacher who said some very key things about life, and my art teacher who inspired me because I now feel the joy in doing the work that I saw he had. Hat’s off to Gene and Steven.

Professionally, another tie between two of the best System administrators I know. Joe and John. Amazing skills and dedication, great instincts/diagnosis when things went wrong, incredible calm in the eye of the hurricane. Wonderful planning from contingency to disaster in so many layers. Versatile and very talented in many disciplines of administration. Most of all, as teachers they took the time to work and help me understand. John was a patient and diligent teacher. Joe was the hard tester to see if I was learning but also a teacher in my failures. They tested me often, sometimes brutally but I never learned more in my career than working under and beside these two. Incredible mentors. Many thanks, guys.

Wow, now that I think about it 2 daughters are teachers, and my son is always teaching me new things. Kids will always teach you you’re not as smart as you think you are.

Personally another close one between my mother and my better half. And the edge goes to my better half but both have given me invaluable lessons of life and love.

So I’ve given lots of answers here when it only asked for one. And if I’ve been taught one very important lesson over the years, the answer is always “my Better Half” unless I’m going for a drive and then the answer is Miata.