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anghara has an interesting meme.

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

1. This is not nearly as easy as it looks. My journey through school was mostly hindered rather than aided, though my Form 1 English teacher taught me I loved reading aloud, and my Form Five History teacher gave me the confidence to fight both my family and my school to stick with history and English even though my best marks were in Mathematics. The fight was pretty lonely, but at least I knew that someone believed I was OK at History. This was important, because my family believed it was a back-up subject: all the *real* subjects were in the sciences. Science, you see, took hard work. History could be picked up anytime, even by someone of average intellect. (Yes, my family have changed their views - my mother did a couple of uni. history courses a few years ago and said in wonderment "But this is *difficult*" but that is now, and not when I was in High School and in High School I was very much alone.) So Judy Goldberg was cool. So was my Form Five music teacher, because he didn't try to diminish me: not once.

2. I am very rich in friends who have helped me through difficult times. Not sure it is fair on them to put their names in such a public place, though. Throughout my life, I have been very very rich in wonderful friends. Oh dear, now I sound sappy!

3. My nieces, because they taught me that living alone doesn't mean that one is not loved. My sister and best friend, who taught me it was not entirely immoral to like one's own writing. My best friend again, who taught me I *could* follow my dreams: that big life change a few years ago? that was because she taught me that I don't have to curtail my dreams before I have even had a go at them. And yes, this could go on forever. I am always being taught important things by people, being an ignorant kind of lass. Maybe I should add my parents, for teaching me that life is all about learning?

4. My friends. Some of my family. My friends and my friends and my friends. All of them. Some of them are public and wouldn't mind being named, but some are private. I will stick with "You know who you are" 'cos you do. Important kindnesses in my life from all of you. Everything from chocolate and books in the mail to shopping trips when I am too sick to do things for myself to remembering what I can eat to always welcoming me, no matter how grumpy and strange I am and how long I have been retired into my shell, getting my body back to a tolerable level of health.

5. Five people I enjoy spending time with? Can't be done. I have suddenly turned grouchy (first low pain day since Monday - perfect for developing a state of grouchdom) and refuse.