Celebrating those who fail you

Yesterday, we were visited by what remained of the Broke Down Bus fellowship: Cabell and Katie Tutwiler.  Cabell is one of my high school Literature teachers; it is because of him that I started my appreciation for The Canterbury Tales, Milton, Shakespeare, Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, and many more.

However, he holds an incredibly special place in my heart.  Mr. Tutwiler was the first person to fail me, like really fail me. 9th grade English - F - needs to be retaken.  This was the only class I failed that year. Unfortunately, failing just one class was enough to concern me, but not change me.  It wouldn't be until a year later when I failed almost every class in 10th grade that I changed my academic behavior.

But, it was an important first step. (The summer school make-up with Lee Dirks introduced me to the  influential Nine Stories and 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.)  I'm so fortunate to have had passionate, unique and caring teachers in my life like Mr. Tutwiler, who were brave enough to know that failing me was the best thing to do for me.

Do you celebrate the people who fail you?  The ones who get you to be the better self you know you are capable of creating and being...

It was a lovely day with cheese, conversation, walking, Iko Iko, dialogue, happy hour, pelicans and picking fresh blackberries.  I wish the bus and fellowship great adventures.