Six words that changed a life

After procrastinating till the night before it was due, I wrote a paper about the play — the first paper I typed on a typewriter — and turned it in the next day.

I got a good grade on it, and below the grade Mr. Criche wrote, “Sure hope you become a writer.” That was it. Just those six words, written in his signature handwriting — a bit shaky, but with a very steady baseline.

It was the first time he or anyone had indicated in any way that writing was a career option for me. Wed never had any writers in our family line, and we didnt know any writers personally, even distantly, so writing for a living didnt seem something available to me. But then, just like that, it was as if hed ripped off the ceiling and shown me the sky.

via Remembering an inspiring teacher.