[Stylist] A new prompt

[Jackie]

Thanks to Annie. It is slightly different from her prompt. My goal was to
keep it to one page, and to possibly send it to The Reader's Digest who has
this feature regularly.
Anyone want to join me? The Teacher Who Changed my Life  Jacqueline
Williams, Oct., 2019
The Teacher Who Changed My Life
I was sixteen years old, a junior in Riverside Brookfield High School in
Hollywood, Illinois. In spite of being active in athletics, and an excellent
student, I was extremely shy, lacking in self-confidence and an introvert.
When I was enrolled in Social Science class, my teacher, Mr. Thompson, asked
the class to write their own philosophy of life. I loved the assignment, as
I read a lot, had many ideas, and I challenged many traditional ideas,
particularly about religion.
He asked me to read my paper to the  class. I remember telling him that I
would rather not do  so. I was petrified. He was a sensitive man, reassured
me he would ask some others to read first. When it was my turn, I got up in
front of the class, and was shaking so badly, that the paper in my hand
shook and I could hardly read it. Regardless, he praised me and started a
discussion of some of the ideas.
In about a week, he asked if he could contact my parents for a home visit,
and said it was about the debate club, which he sponsored. I did not object,
though I knew nothing about debating, or what it entailed.
Mr. Thompson did come to my house and while I did not hear the entire
conversation, the gist of it was that he thought I would be a real asset to
the school and to the debate team.  He felt that with my parents support, my
personal confidence and development would grow if I would join the club. He
also asked me about my plans beyond high school. This girl, with her thick
glasses, felt like a real person.
I vividly remember those next months. We were assigned topics, had to
research both sides of those topics, practice debating our fellow members on
the side we believed in, but finally we had to debate again any side
assigned us by Mr. Thompson.  Then we went out on the trail. My confidence
grew with each debate. I remember when we debated at the University of
Chicago, and our team received accolades and a trophy. Mr. Thompson gave me
special recognition back at the school. 
How did this change my life? Primarily, it taught me to think, and to
realize that there are always two sides, possibly more, to every question.
It trained me in having confidence to speak out, think quickly in terms of
rebuttal, and to speak with respect to others' opinions. 
	My family was transferred to New York when I was in college, and I
never return to my old school for any reunions. I was in my late seventies
when a boyfriend took me to Illinois, and specifically to Hollywood, for a
visit. I was able to walk the halls of Riverside Brookfield High. On the
wall was a big beautifully framed portrait of Mr. Thompson. I learned he was
the tennis coach with a winning record. This surprised me because he had a
foot turned in a strange way which caused him to walk with a severe limp. I
wondered if this is why he believed that anyone could surmount problems, and
he had devoted his life to helping others as he did for me.	

Jacqueline Williams

Clarity is just questioning having eaten its fill.
     Jenny Xie