Special People

All of us meet special people throughout life who leave a unique impression on our lives. Just over forty years ago, a wonderful, wonderful substitute teacher, named Mildred Duda, had such an impact on me. She was a regular substitute at our school, St. Alphonsus in Davenport, Iowa. She filled in for my 4th grade teacher who was out after surgery for a couple of weeks. The next year she happened to be subbing for my class on the day President Kennedy was killed (one of those moments frozen in time that we all remember).

Later that year our teacher (who had been sickly all year) had to leave school for good, and we were fortunate enough to have Mrs. Duda fill in for the last couple months of the school year. She was a wonderful teacher who affirmed everyone no matter what they were doing or what they were interested in. She made classes interesting and exciting. I remember for one geography project she had each of us select a state and build a small float to represent the people and resources of that state. Then we had a "parade" in the gym for the rest of the school with our miniature floats. Since there were less than 50 kids in the class, I got two states: Wisconsin and North Carolina.

While I was home in Davenport visiting my family this past weekend, I happened to come across the obituary for Mrs. Duda, and it brought back so many wonderful memories from a long time ago. For several years I taught school, and I only hope that I had a small fraction of the positive impact on some of my students' lives that Mrs. Duda has had on mine.

Some of these special people, like Mrs. Duda, never become famous even though their spirit and values spread quietly into the lives of hundreds of young kids. Other people, who spread their message humbly and quietly do eventually become well-known because their lives are so counter-cultural. Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement is such a person. Dorothy deeply loved the poor and did whatever she could to welcome them and to feed them. She began a group of houses of hospitality for the poor that now have locations throughout the country.

Here is a quote from one of her writings. "To serve others, to give what we have is not enough unless we always show the utmost respect for each other and all we meet." (Dorothy Day: In My Own Words, compiled by Phyllis Zagano, Ligouri Publications.)

Mrs. Duda worked tirelessly for her students because she saw the potential for bright futures in each of them; Dorothy Day worked for the poor because she saw the beauty and dignity of Christ in each one, and thus she had the "utmost respect" for them.

When we come to know someone in person, like Mildred Duda, it is a great blessing. But we can also come to know someone we've never met through books. And even they can still have a significant impact on our ways of thinking and acting. That is how I have gotten to know Dorothy Day. She mystifies me; she humbles me; she challenges me; and I need that.

Who - either famous or not - has made a difference in your life? Tell us about it.