My mother worked as a teacher for twenty-five years.  Looking back at old class photos, I can see how much she loved what she did.  She put a lot of energy into her work and into her students.  I loved listening to her talk about them and the projects she did with them.  She had wanted to be a dress designer in New York City.  She was a good artist and always encouraged my sister and me to paint and draw. In fact, she painted one wall in our basement pure white and let us paint and design whatever we desired.  Once it was up for a while, she’d paint it white again, and we would start anew. Years later, I realized how much she influenced me: I love to draw, write, and read.  I love sharing everything I know with small children.  I taught many children to sew, just like my mom taught me.