The teacher turned away from the class and picked up a piece of chalk. He began to write on the black board. All he wrote was one word, “LIFE.” As he turned back to his English class, filled with twenty seven young minds between the age of seventeen and eighteen, he asked them to write what that word means to them. He wanted them to write about what they wanted out of life. He gave very specific guidelines. Working did not make you who you were. He told them this paper would be due in seven days time and let the class begin working on it with the rest of their time in class that day.

A week later the teacher returned to his black board and wrote the word “LIFE” again. He asked for all the papers to be handed up the row and then passed by the first person to the left. As all the papers ended up on one desk, he came by and picked them up. He told the children that he had often wondered at their age what his life would be like. He said he never imagined he would be a teacher but was thankful for the opportunity. He told the class they had that day to themselves, as long as they kept the noise down.

That night, the teacher read all twenty seven papers that night. He came into class the next morning and told the children they were getting another assignment. He wrote one word on the chalkboard. This time, he wrote “Freedom” and asked the students to write what they thought freedom was. This paper he told them was due at the end of that week.

On Friday, he had the children pass the papers to the front and then to the left, and came by to pick them up. He told the class that that day, they were going to discuss their first essay. He asked the class to, one at a time, tell the class something about the life they want. Many of the children answered that they wanted a lot of money or a big house. As the class was ending, one boy raised his hand. The teacher quieted the class and called on the student. He stood up, and told the entire class, ” All I want out of life is to be remembered after I die.” All of the children looked at the student speaking. At that very moment, the bell rang and the kids rushed from the classroom.

That weekend he read all of their essays about “Freedom.” On Monday, he had the class do the same thing they had done on Friday. Raise your hand and tell the class something about what you think about freedom. Many kids spoke of being in America, and their rights, and getting older and getting more freedom from their parents. Right before the end of the class, a young boy raised his hand. The teacher quieted the class and everyone looked at the boy. This was the same boy who spoke about being remembered in life. He stood up and spoke steadily, stating, “Living without fear is the only way to be truly free.” The bell rang at the exact moment he said free and the students cleared the room. As the last child left the room, the teacher noticed the young boy was still there. He asked the boy if he needed anything and the boy asked him a question in return. He asked why the teacher always called on him last. The teacher responded. “You wrote about wanting to be remembered in life right? well, what you think is different from the others. They think materialistically, you think emotionally. If we can keep this going throughout the year, ending with a thought from you, well then everyone in here will remember you in life, even me.” The boy smiled from ear to ear and walked out of the classroom. The teacher took a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and read it to himself. All I want in life is to be remembered. Maybe I will become a teacher like you. I will never forget you, so maybe if I become a teacher, my students will never forget me.” He smiled from ear to ear and walked out of the classroom.