Recently, I came across a reflection that stayed with me. It goes like this: "It does not take great wisdom to see what is wrong. To point out other people’s mistakes, faults, and shortcomings is easy — with almost no effort, we can always find something lacking in others. To focus on their defects, or on how much room they still have for improvement, comes from a rather low level of energy. What does require greater wisdom? To see another person’s strengths. To notice in the

I have been very fortunate in the teachers I met early in life. As a student, I was lucky to encounter extraordinary literature teachers in middle school. They were wise, caring, and deeply devoted to their students. Later, in college, I met a professor who taught Shakespeare, and I remain grateful for his selfless dedication to teaching and to his students. Perhaps it is a strange thing, but the literature teachers I met along the way filled me with admiration and gratitude,