Thanksgiving and Gratitude

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni

This season has me thinking of the all the things that I am thankful for and there seem to be far too many. I think of all my experiences and the things that I have learned, I am in awe.

This season has me really thinking of my teachers. First and foremost of my teachers were my parents. They were told to send me to Berkley’s school of the deaf. Instead, at age five they decided to teach me to speak. This was tough love from my Father to give me speech therapy. I can’t imagine not having the emotional support of my Mother.

Since I was mainstreamed in school, I was taken from regular class a couple of days a week for a few hours to practice my speech. Art, Bonsai, history, joys of cooking, organizing, poetry, English, are just a few of the things my mother taught me. Even My grandparents taught me the joys of gardening, wood working, farming and husbandry. In addition my parents taught me the joys of camping, water-skiing, hunting, fishing, cooking over an open fire and the beauty of nature. My Father taught me the trades, for which I am so grateful.

A recent move of my shop enlightened me of the fact that I have the tools of all the trades from brick laying to welding along with the knowledge and experience to use them. Because of these teaching experiences I have taken on the task of building my own home.

Then there are all my teachers in school in which I was mainstreamed from the first day of school. My fourth grade teacher had a fit when she learned that Billy Netzley was coming to her class. With an option from the principle to move me after a few weeks into the school year, she relented.

When the time came to move me to another class, she said no to the transfer as I was her best student. Then, there are all the other teachers in the world who have taught me life lessons.

Today, I am ready and willing to learn from anyone in addition to my fellow professionals in arms. Even today, my teachers still truly ‘appear’ as I continue my search for learning.

William M. Netzley DDS, B.A.