Appreciation

There are certain moments in time that stick with you forever.

Today, I was driving on the roads when I suddenly remembered how I used to dread Teacher's Day when I was a kid.

It was not because I was an ungrateful person, hated school or anything like that. I liked my teachers - well, most of them, at least. But I just dreaded that one day of the year when I had to bring presents to school for the teachers who taught my class.

Presents from my mum.

I would lug a cardboard bag filled with cookie boxes to school on Teacher's Day. Each cookie box would be beautifully wrapped with the particular teacher's name neatly written on an attached mini-card - in my mum's cursive hand-writing.

"Dear Cikgu/Puan/Encik XXX, Happy Teacher's Day!"

As a kid, I never bothered wondering why I didn't like giving presents to my teachers. I just dreaded Teacher's Day (as well as other festive celebrations around the year - because my mum would never fail to make me bless my teachers again), distributed the presents and secretly rejoiced when Teacher's Day was over. Sad, huh. Perhaps, it made me embarrassed - or I didn't like looking as if I was trying to win favors and be the teachers' pet. But I guess, a very important lesson I learned is this: it is important to bless and appreciate others, especially those who have made a difference in your life.

As a Christian, I am now learning that it is also important to bless and appreciate those who won't appreciate you back - and we can be generous like that because it is an expression of our worship for Christ, who first loved us and gave even when we could never repay Him for the rich, abundant blessings of His gift. The gift of life in His death and resurrection.


Today, I am glad and thankful that my mum made me bring my teachers presents to honor them for their diligence, faithfulness and passion. I look forward to blessing and appreciating my kids' teachers in the future.