A CHRISTMAS LETTER TO MY STUDENT

This is a letter to my former student. She is one of the students whom I trusted during her time. She sent me a card and a nice coffee mug. Her thoughtfulness made my Christmas a lot merrier!

December 28

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

Once again, thank you for the card and the gift. I appreciated both the messages that came along with them. I felt like crying when I read the card. You know that I shed tears easily and because I was sure the message was heartfelt, it was not a small deal after all if I cried. I was really moved by your sincerity.

I was humbled by how you admire me. Your respect posts a great challenge to me to do much better. This is what I want you to realize though. I am just human so I have imperfections too. I hope that what you have for me is not blind admiration. I hope you will appreciate too my mistakes because for sure you will also learn from them. By now you are quite familiar with my eccentricities and peculiar mood swings. I got some not so admirable manners which I tried very hard to control. It has been in fact an exercise of patience and perseverance. I am not embarrassed when sometimes I get out of control and everything just becomes haywire. Sometimes I find it good to let out pent up emotions, pains and frustrations. I hope I do not sound so banal now.

You find me I think, as a confidant. You have no second thoughts sharing with me what you feel about people and their emotions. I am humbled by your gesture. You trust me with your inmost thoughts. Rest assured your secrets will forever be secrets with me. You confide to me maybe because I have something to share with you about what you have shared to me. This is plain and simple give and take. This is how I look at friendship, a matter of give and take. This whole idea speaks of how respectful you are. I am not trying to insinuate that I have to be respected. I know I have to earn it therefore I work for it. I know you are not just trying to please me. I know you are sincere with how you look up to me as good example. I am very much flattered. I do not know how to thank you. This letter and the card that goes with this are not enough to show and tell you how much I appreciate your actions. You are one of the few reasons which made me persevere in the teaching profession. I know I have not taught you how to be intelligent all alone. I know for a fact that I have taught you more how to be educated. It pleased me so much that in you I have not failed as a teacher. In you, I have seen my crowning glory as one pedagogue.

You have seen others fail along the way in their search for the real meaning of life. I hope they have not blamed anybody but themselves alone. We have human weaknesses because of our very nature. We are sinners. We are culpable to sin. But please let us all realize that sinning has always been an option. It has never been pushed or has been forced to us obtrusively. We were first given the chance. Shall I bite or shall I not bite the apple? I do not mean to push the issue of you becoming like the next candidate for beatification. I am sorry. I just want you to realize that your fate has been all too well-planned already. All you have to do is to take hold and control your destiny. Bring yourself to the ultimate quest in life which is ironically…eternal life of fullness and grace. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I remain.
Your good friend,

Sir Carlo