So as I sit waiting for takeoff this is for you Betty Manly Chocolate West❤️ You were bigger than life and so much cooler than all the other teachers. Everything you did was Big and teaching was no different. My love for poetry that you taught me - I taught my own children . Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost- you made these people real to me and somehow made groups of 4 th graders love them too. I challenged myself everyday to impress you with the beautiful handwriting skills you taught and was always so proud to have your approval. You singlehandedly made every holiday a big deal and not a Birthday or holiday goes by without atleast a weeklong celebration. Rogers and Hammerstein, every musical you could get your hands on we sang. Your beloved Judy Garland. No matter what we performed I could always see you playing each part- your passion was amazing and inspiring. And we didnt have to sing just your music...you encouraged us to bring our records in and wed sing it or pantomime the words and it didnt matter to you which way we did it . As long as we were up on that stage and learning that confidence that you possessed. You loved whatever we did and encouraged us just for trying. You knew the rules but you also knew how to bend them just enough to do things your way and we loved that! Your stories of your travels and the places you were gonna go made me want to see the world you spoke of and I believe you were the main reason I became a flight attendant. I wanted to see what Mrs West said was out there. All those Santas in all those countries you spoke of... I needed to go! And I did! Theres a great big world out there folks, youd say. And the world was as magnificent as you said. You took dance lessons at .. 50 ? Years old ? And you came to class and covered the windows on classroom door and danced for us . Humming and smiling like a child in a field of flowers. Not a care in the world. I was in awe of you. You kept stashes of candy (lemon drops and jolly ranchers) in your closet and you shared them with us and rewarded them with us daily. A teacher who gave out candy. Wow! Your passion for everything made me have passion for everything and I can tell you as I told you before... You have been the most influential person in my whole life. Every year for as long as I can remember I waited, and then my kids waited with me by my mailbox one day after Thanksgiving for the postman to deliver My handmade Christmas card from Betty West! Always on time and with an original Christmas haiku and a mini calendar and your beautiful handwriting. This made my holiday season and my kids. Ofcourse any correspondence to you was done in my best cursive and your voice in my ear. So proud of my penmanship. And the best most wonderful memory is when I came to see you at your house. I had brought my daughters then 5 and 8. They knew who you were and I was so proud when they recited Autumn to you and you were so happy. Then as if their obsession with Wizard of Oz was just as great as yours.... You asked them to sit at your piano with you and sing Somewhere over the Rainbow and you cried. I cried. One of my most proudest moments in life. And theirs too. The best part was it was June and your house was still decorated for Christmas and candy jars full everywhere. It was wonderful. After all those years , you were still Mrs. West, living life the way you wanted. And you were so genuinely happy to know that a part of you had been passed down to yet another generation. And Mrs. West... My 3 year old says Autumn now at Thanksgiving. You are always present. Last year I didnt get the Christmas card and I called you the 2 nd day after thanksgiving to make sure you were ok and you said darlin, Im just a little scattered lately, some of my cards were returned and I m so sorry, I know you look forward to it and I told her that all I cared about was that she was ok. But I guess I kinda knew then thst maybe she wasnt. But she said she was fine because thats whats Mrs West does and who she is. Positive til the end. Living her life and doing what she wanted . Flowers in hair , lipstick and dolled up like she was someone . And my dear Mrs West... You. Were. Someone.. 87 years old and still driving herself to The Club to play bridge right up until 2 weeks ago when she just couldnt do it anymore. You passed on my sons 4 th birthday... And as sad as I am , and as weird as it sounds, Im happy to share that day with you because it ensures that one more day out of the many days in the year you will be remembered. You never met my son but you heard about him and saw the video of him reciting Autumn and you always asked about him and now he has this to share with you. My dear, sweet, talented, beautiful lady, you have inspired me, enriched my life and touched my heart and soul on a daily basis my whole life. What you have taught me has been a gift . And I find great joy in knowing that you are tap dancing across heaven , hopefully in some ruby red slippers , as we speak, talking to Frank, and Judy and Clark- - like the Star you are, embracing those that passed before you with the same loving arms and sincere joy that you bestowed upon us all here on this earth and I know that there was a STANDING OVATION when you walked through those pearly gates. The encore now lies in all the lives you touched and I will miss you immensely but will carry on celebrating the gifts you have given me and Ill continue to teach my kids while remembering you every day. I love you Mrs. West and am so grateful and blessed to have had the pleasure. BRAVO! BRAVO!
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 17:08:13 +0000
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