Everybody Wants to Be Remembered

I don't know if this is a common sentiment among educators, but I know it rings true with me- I would love it if my former students would remember me, and I would love it if I could remember every single one of their names a year after they leave middle school and go on to the high school, and when I see them in Wal-mart 5 years later.  I sort of wonder why that is? Is it because I desperately want to know that I made some sort of impact on the kids while they were at my school for three years? Is it because I care about their young lives and what becomes of them after they graduate? I'm not really sure what the answer to those questions are, but if I really want to be remembered, what is it I want to be remembered FOR?

Here's a short list. See if you can identify with any of them:

I want to be remembered for:
- helping a new student feel comfortable in our school
- apologizing when I was wrong
- offering to help whenever I could
- smiling in the halls
- mediating friendship disputes
- telling someone they can overcome their past
- pushing kids to try to get A's instead of D's
- telling kids I think they are great, no matter what
- laughing at silly jokes
- taking the time to listen
- being patient (I really need to work on this one some days!)
- treating kids as if they were my own