By Caleb Patterson, Guest Commentary -- patterson10@up.edu
It's how you act and what you say and do that other people remember most in their lives. In your life are your words and actions worth remembering? Are mine?
Sept. 15, 2009 was a bright sunny day three weeks into the fall semester, a day that forever altered my life. On that Tuesday afternoon my father, Gordon Patterson (M.Ed. 1989), was killed in a hit and run by one of his former students.
Just a week before my father, a teacher by profession, had unceremoniously received a 25-year service pin in recognition of his years as a teacher. My father taught for longer than I have been alive, and his life continues to have an impact far beyond what he could have ever imagined.
When you teach for 25 years or more you start to get the children of former students, and if you happen to make a lasting impression on those students who have become parents then their children will be just as happy to learn from you as they were. In the case of my father, he left a lasting impression on nearly everyone he met.
For some reason, it seems that no matter where I went with my father someone knew him and appreciated him. Many were not even former students. It seemed that he and I could not step out of the house without him meeting someone whose life he had impacted for the better. Former students would recognize him someplace and come up to him "Hey, Mr. P!"
It was amazing to see how he changed lives. I love my dad! He's the coolest guy I know!
Following my father's memorial service, I tried to think of any other person whose life had been so impacting locally and could think of none. From congressmen to mayors I tried to think of whether or not there were any other more well-known or well-thought of people, and no one came close.
At the end of my father's life, he dominated the local news headlines and media for a week solid. It was not because of how horrific his death was, but rather because of how much his life had touched those who were around him.
My father is known, in both life and death, for taking time to care for those around him, for living a quality life, for exemplifying the teaching of Christ his savior, for showing the love of Christ every day and for doing his very best.
Teaching is not easy, the pay is well below the poverty line, and the extra duties that are expected are never compensated for in any budget. Teaching is a very demanding high stress job.
Teaching is the most life-changing job that anyone could ever have. My father was one of the best teachers anyone ever knew. The difference between any teacher and a good teacher is that a good teacher takes the time to make sure that to the best of their ability ‘their students' are given every opportunity and are encouraged to learn and grow. A good teacher spends whatever time and energy is necessary to ensure that ‘their kids' learn. A good teacher goes above and beyond and makes every minute that they have with ‘their students' count.
That's what made my father a great teacher, and a great person.
My father cared about other people. He loved other people. He spent time with them and when it came to his students he treated them just like he treated me, and I know that he loved me! I now live on in his legacy. My father's life inspires me to do my best to love others in a positive sort of way. I hope to pass on that legacy to everyone I meet wherever I go. One person at a time, I hope to pass on Mr. Patterson's catch phrase "I love you, in a positive sort of way" to the whole world. I hope that my father's legacy continues to affect the world, in a positive sort of way.
So if you want to be famous and you want to be well known, it's not at all that hard. All you have to do is care about and love other people, in a positive way, and people will remember you for your actions.
For those interested there will be a memorial bicycle ride in honor of Mr. Gordon Patterson on Sept. 11, 2010 starting at 9 a.m. at Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver, Wash. Anyone is welcome to come and participate.
