Highlighting "The Colleague" by Helena Harper...

Although we were in a different profession, when I first read this, I immediately thought of my mentor and dearest friend, Bettie Eileen Tucker...

Dedicated to Bettie (With Permission)

The Colleague

Well established at the school,

a language teacher of much experience,

showing the way to a younger one

with new ideas

but just three years under her belt.

A gentle manner guiding the younger

and an open mind willingly receiving

fresh opinions and novel suggestions.

A partnership of equals develops

in a department of two,

work they evenly distribute and share

and discussions of trials and tribulations,

professional and personal,

big and small,

they handle with understanding and care,

each secure and certain

no one will ever betray

the confidences given in secret

hour by hour and day by day.

Full-time teaching combined with family,

children in difficult teenage years,

finding time to cope with both - how?

Working till two or three each night,

without complaint,

strength and stamina prodigious,

discipline of self enormous.

Heads and syllabuses come and go,

teachers, too,

but she remains,

faithful, quiet and diligent,

modest, unassuming,

reliable and efficient.

Twelve years long an ideal workmate,

but with children grown

retirement comes -

off to calmer days?

Maybe not,

with grandchildren increasing

and coaching demands

incessant and unceasing.

The professional ties change,

yet the bonds remain strong,

for the trusty colleague that once was

is now a friend, loyal and staunch indeed,

ever ready to laugh and smile in times of joy

and advise and help in hours of need.

The younger one hopes that she, too,

can grow to be equally caring and kind,

for she knows now the way to tread

and she'll keep going straight ahead,

aiming to pave new colleagues' paths

with the gentle understanding

her friend so generously gave to her.

~~~

Copyright Helena Harper

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