This year, on the first day of the school year, we had a special guest speaker, John Perricone, come in to motivate the teachers. He’d come the year before, too, and we were truly excited to have him back. He reminded us about why we teach, and he taught us about how to live intentionally and positively. He made us laugh. He made us think. He made us better.

Then he went back into his world of traveling, speaking engagements, and writing. But before he left, he asked us to befriend him on Facebook.

So I did.

I looked at his pictures and read his inspirational posts from afar as he traveled and worked around the world.

Then, on my birthday, he posted on my Facebook wall.

Not a generic Happy Birthday or a cute meme with balloons, kittens, and cake. But a heartfelt, thought out, carefully crafted birthday message:

“It’s been said that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you discover why. I wish you a wonderful celebration of your life. I hope it’s your best one yet Monica!”

I thought for a long time about how to reply. How could I squish all the emotions and thoughts that one comment raised into a little blue Facebook bubble? How could I describe the two other essential days – the day I gave my life back to God, and the day a cancer diagnosis let me realized how fragile life is. How could I talk about the day I discovered my why as a kindergartner when my teacher turned to me and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. The answer was so crystal clear to my five-year old mind: I’m going to teach. But it’s morphed and changed and grown as I’ve grown. Now my why is to remind everyone that I come across that they are loved beyond their own imagination. How could I express the gratitude I felt that he would stop to message me, someone he doesn’t even know. And the excitement that I felt knowing that if he messaged me, there must be so many other people that he’s messaging. He shares my why!

How can I say that in a simple Facebook reply?

But I tried.

My reply: “Thank you! I discovered my why in kindergarten – to teach and to share… Today was a wonderful day”

He read my reply and clicked the little red heart icon below it.

I’m not given to hero worship. I’m not even really all that into authority. But here’s someone who never even met me in person, who talks to thousands of people each year and remains positive, who stays in contact with former students and takes them out to dinner. If I didn’t already have a favorite role model, this guy would definitely be in the running.

But I do. And he was a teacher, too.

He also taught people about love, respect, kindness, and joy. He also reached out to connect with complete strangers. He also celebrated life and focused on the importance of knowing why we walk this earth. He also wants everyone in the world to know that they are loved.

The adopted son of a carpenter in Galilee who turned society upside down as he taught through words and example 2000 years ago…

He is the reason why I walk this earth, and the reason why I’ll one day stroll the streets of gold in Heaven. He’s the reason I teach. His is the love that I share with my students every day. His is the peace that held me through the cancer treatments and surgeries. His is the hope that keeps me walking through the storms, the hope that I want to share with my broken world.

With you. 

So if you haven’t connected yet with John Perricone, look him up. Invite him to your school or just follow his inspirational posts on Facebook. It’ll change your life.

And if you haven’t yet connected with teacher from Galilee, look him up, too. It’ll change your eternity.