This is from my inbox.

Just a reminder to never judge a book by it's cover, instead...

try opening the book to know the story inside.

Stay Beautiful & Be Blessed!!



 As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day
 of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers,
she
 looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.
However, that was impossible, because there in the front row,
slumped
in
 his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
 Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that 
he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were
 messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy
could be

 unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually 
take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making
bold
 X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
 At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to 
review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last
 However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
 Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a 
ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is
a
joy
 to be around.."
 His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, 
well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother
has
 a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
 His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard 
on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much
 interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps
aren't
 taken."
 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and
 doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends
and
 he sometimes sleeps in class." 
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
 herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her
Christmas
 presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for 
Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper
 that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it
in
 the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to
laugh
 when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones
missing,
 and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled
the
 children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, 
putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy
 Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,
"Mrs.
Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." 
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that
 very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic.
Instead,
 she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular
attention to
 Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive The
more
 she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the
year,
 Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and,
despite
 her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became
one
 of her "teacher's pets.."
 A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling
her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
 Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then
 wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she
was
 still the best teacher he ever had in life.
 Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while
 things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck
with
 it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of
honors. He
 assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite
teacher
 he had ever had in his whole life. 
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time
 he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to
go
a
 little further. The letter explained that she was still the best
and
 favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little
longer...
 The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
 The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another 
letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going
to be
 married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years
ago
and
 he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding
in
 the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of
 course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet,
the
 one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she
was
 wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on
their
 last Christmas together.
 They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. 
Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank
you
 so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could
make a
 difference." 
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said,
 "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that
I
 could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met
you."