💬 Thursday Thread: Who are the teachers in your life you're grateful for?
And have you told them "thank you" yet?
This week on the Firestarters podcast, I spoke with playwright Sarah Ruhl—ritically acclaimed author, MacArthur genius, two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, and Tony Award–nominated playwright and author—about her new book, “Lessons from My Teachers: From Preschool to the Present,” in which Sarah writes about the life-altering bonds between teacher and student and the ineffable wisdom our teachers impart both inside and outside the classroom.
In “Lessons from My Teachers,” Sarah suggests we all take the time to thank our teachers for their wisdom and guidance before it’s too late: “The process of writing the book was a wakeup call to tell your teachers ‘thank you’ as soon as humanly possible. You’d be surprised how seldom teachers get thanked.”
As Sarah suggests, it’s imperative that we tell the people we’re most grateful for how we feel, right now, before it’s too late to matter.
👉 For today’s Thursday Thread, here’s what I want to know:
Who are teachers or other people in your life you’re grateful for? Have you told them how much they’ve meant to you? If so, how did you tell them? And if you haven’t, what’s stopping you?
Welcome to the Thursday Threads, a weekly chance for us to connect with one another in the comments. Join me and other readers as we navigate important discussions. And a note: a difference of opinion is always okay, being unkind to one another is not. Let’s keep these conversations respectful.
My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed.
I connected with my 6th grade teacher a couple of years ago through FB. I was in his class over 50 years ago. He is now 85 years old. My childhood was fraught with abuse. This man was my refuge. He saw the light in me, even referring to me as a “humanist” in my yearbook. He was one of the helpers Mr. Rogers referred to. Amazingly, he not only remembered me, he told me he always referred to me as a “swan”, because I was a homely child who became quite attractive in my teen years.
He and his wife, my husband and I met up with him last year. I wrote him a long, heartfelt letter which he said moved him to tears. We speak regularly now. He is one of the most special people in my 63 years.
LOVE this conversation - especially as a former high school teacher.
I became a teacher BECAUSE of the influence of one of my high school teachers, who then became a close friend, who spoke at my wedding. We've remained friends. She's truly an icon in my life.