(Editor’s Note: Teachers are such an important part of our lives.  Our twins were blessed to have many wonderful teachers, and a few real mentors from that group. Last evening, Candice and I went to a celebration of the teaching career of Tim Emerson, the retired head of the Upper School at Maret, and one of the teachers who changed our Claire’s life. 

During the evening we heard tributes to Tim — loving, personal, and funny — that indicated he had changed many lives for the better over his 36 years at Maret.  As one former student said to Tim while surrounded by about 400 friends and family, “Just look at the people here tonight.  This is your report card.”

The lesson that we should never underestimate the impact one person can have on the world fits as well with Tim as it did in my last post written for one of Andrew’s teachers.  The following is our thank you to Tim on the occasion of his retirement, and we wanted to share it with our family and friends.)

Tim, you are a star in our book! Your gentle spirit, kindness, insightfulness, and wisdom are your gifts our family so appreciates. Our Claire loved your creative writing class, where you brought out her writing potential. Again and again, Claire would mention something you said or a perspective you had as she turned it over in her mind. You made her think deeply. One time she commented, “I think Mr. Emerson has thought about everything.”

Tim, for all you are and all you have given our family — thank you!

Candice and David

More to come…

DJB

UPDATE:  Tim Emerson passed away on May 9, 2018