A nostalgic sidequest
A teacher from my elementary school recognized me at my local ice cream shop. For reference, I am 21 years old. He stopped to tell me he still thinks of me sometimes and that he loved having me in his class. I loved having him as a teacher too, so hearing that truly melted my heart. He played an important role in helping me through a tough time, which I've always been grateful for, but I didn't expect him to remember all of it.
During our chat, he mentioned that he had battled cancer but was fortunate enough to defeat it a few years ago. Emotions (positive ones) overwhelmed me right after which I did not expect..
A few days later I decided to write him a card to thank him for helping me through a tough time and being such a lovely person. (Went to my old school to find out his address.) I also made sure to mention my best friend, emphasizing that we’re still close.
It may sound silly to some, but he meant a lot to me and I realized this might be my last opportunity to make sure he knows the impact he made on my life — and likely on others' as well!