Photo Credit: Luisa Spriggs-Bonilla
His face would travel through a range of emotions
Concerned and serious
Listening intently to what I was saying
Softening in recognition, understanding
And then erupting into one of his big smiles
And laughter
When I was a teen I was headstrong, often foolish
But he was one of the adults who truly listened
There are adults that really listen to children
Take the time to guide
He was one of those
I was so sure about everything
Opinionated and how I loved to argue
He would argue with me
Made me feel strong intellectually
Treated me with respect
Made me argue my case, he didn’t let down
He didn’t act as if I were younger, inferior, giving me a break
He pushed me to defend my position
He had a keen mind
He was always teaching us young ones
Lessons from his childhood and life
So that we might learn from his experiences
He was a good teacher
(I think he got a kick out of me)
