Casting a Long Shadow

I've always started my day off with a quote: it gets me motivated to begin a new day, to be inspired, and to be inspirational to others.
"Why can't this work for others, too?" I thought one day as I was reading my daily quote. It was the start of a new school year, so I thought I'd give it a try.
Before the students rushed in, I wrote the "Quote of the Day" on the board. As the students made their way into the room, they glanced up at the board, wondering what the reason was for the "Quote of the Day." After hearing their whispers about how it was probably a homework assignment and watching some students' eyes roll upward, I told them my reasoning for the quote.
"I want you to read the words of other people. I want you to be motivated to start your day. I want you to be inspired."
This daily ritual soon became something that the students started to look forward to. They would question me on days that I hadn't changed the quote, or on days that they just didn't agree with what the quote stated.
It worked. They were motivated and inspired.
Months soon passed by. In early February, I ran across a quote that reminded me of the current math teacher at the school: Mr. Lenz. This man was my teacher when I was a student here. He was my parents' teacher. This is his 43rd year of teaching. Now, a description of this man is definitely needed. He stands at a towering 6'7" and has a neatly-trimmed goatee. He wears a tie to school every day, and it's not just an ordinary tie, either. He wears the comical ties that most people aren't brave enough to wear in public. He is also so passionate about math that, after class is over, he has blue chalk all over his hands, his face, and his clothes. There's no time to use an eraser when this mathematician is working. Hands are much faster.
Needless to say, the high school students are a bit afraid of this man. It may be because he's a sheer genius. It may be the blue chalk all over him. It may, in fact, just be because of his height.
After thinking about Mr. Lenz, I quickly wrote the following quote on my board:
"Not everything that casts a long shadow is to be feared."
-Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The students didn't seem to think of Mr. Lenz when they read the quote (at least they didn't let me know). That didn't matter, though. What mattered was that I had learned from the quote, as well as from experience, that Mr. Lenz was not one to be feared. He was more so someone who tried to teach us math and, at the same time, teach us about life. I will be the first to admit that I didn't understand all of his quirky sayings, like "It's a two-way street, people," but I did know that he truly cared about each and everyone of us. He still does.
It was now time for my third period class: senior English. I don't know if it was meant to be, but Mr. Lenz was standing at my door as class began. He lowered his head as he walked through my door and made a motion to a student, letting him know that his answer from last period was correct. I felt the urge to say something to this man who has given so much of himself to inspire others. As he was walking away, I spoke up.
"Mr. Lenz?" I said, trying to gain as much self-confidence as possible.
He didn't say anything. He just turned his head around to acknowledge me.
"You need to read the quote on the board. I thought of you this morning when I read it."
I watched him, along with the thirty-seven seniors, read the quote. He slowly made eye contact with me and then proceeded to walk toward me. Now, this probably caught many students off guard because most people seem to shrivel into a ball when this man is hovering over them. I stood tall and proud, though.
I looked up at him and said, "It's true, Mr. Lenz. You were my teacher when I was just a child, and now I teach at the same school with you. Many kids are probably afraid of you, but they will one day understand, just like I do now, that you have taught me so much more than just math."
He looked down upon me, and something amazing occurred. I gave him a hug in front of everyone.
"Thank you," I said, as he smiled down at me and then walked out of my room.
Later that day, in between classes, he found me and motioned me to come toward him. I can't remember his exact words, but I do remember what I learned from it. His goal is to teach students math, yet, at the same time, teach them about the world and about life.
What keeps a teacher teaching for so many years? It's surely not the pay. I will never get up enough nerve to ask this man this question that so many are just dying to know, but I think I know the answer already.

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