Passing it on (hopefully)

In 4th grade in Wilmington, DE, one day we had a substitute teacher. I don’t remember anything about this person other than he was a relatively young man and in one day he had a tremendous impact on my intellectual development.
He started out the day by telling 30 ten year olds that mathematically, chances are near 100% that two people in the room share the same birthday. None of us believed him so we went around the room and sure enough, two classmates shared a birthday.
Then he went on to explain how beautiful and logical math is. He made us understand that we can multiply huge numbers as easily as small ones. All of this in one day. It was very exciting.
This day was 38 years ago and I think of it often. In just a few hours this one person had a significant, positive impact on my life. I have no recollection of his name or what he looked like. I wouldn’t recognize him if he tapped me on the shoulder and said “I’m that guy.”
But that’s okay.
In my work today I interact with countless children.
With each interaction, I work with the understanding that decades from now these children hopefully will retain a similarly positive recollection of our brief encounters.
If decades from now I am remembered by these children in a fashion similar to how I remember this anonymous substitute teacher, then I will have led a life well lived.