Spending a Day in the Woods and Seeing Coach Wood

On Sunday, my friend Courtney called and invited my family to go to Joe Tucker Park with her family. It was a gorgeous day, the weather just right. Big Daddy wasn't able to break away from his WOW game to go (go figure) but I took Smooth and Sledge. We had an enjoyable time. There was hardly anyone there when we arrived. Courtney explained that we were the "heathen" crowd until late church services let out. It became packed with families very quickly. We stayed there for awhile then headed home, only to plop on the couch and think..."It's just to pretty outside!"

I hadn't quite gotten my fill of the lovely Court family so I called Courtney to see if she wanted to take the kids on the Cahaba Met Trail that I went on last weekend. She agreed.
The kids had the best time, running through the trails, jumping over the creek, skipping rocks.... They looked for beavers and found an abandoned turtle shell. We found a great vine that was perfect for the kids to swing on, because it went downhill. They could've spent their whole day on that vine, I am convinced. While the kids ran ahead Courtney and I began pulling vines down from the trees and making grapevine wreaths while we walked. I think she was very impressed at her never before tapped skill. The wreaths turned out so pretty.

On the way back towards our cars, I noticed a man on the trail. We hadn't passed anyone all day. As the man got closer, our eyes met and immediately we recognized one another. I ran and gave him the biggest hug, leaving Courtney to wonder what was going on. It was my seventh grade social studies teacher, Coach Wood!!! He and I have corresponded over the years and have run into one another on occasion. He is so special to me, and I took the opportunity to once again remind him so. I think everyone has those special teachers that make a difference in your life. Mine were all men-and all but two were coaches: Coach Wood (social studies), Coach Chimento (social studies), Coach "K" (PE) ,Coach Honeycutt (PE), Mr. McBay (assistant principal) and my art teacher Mr. Knowles. Coach Wood is really the only one I have had the opportunity to keep in touch through Christmas cards and emails. He continues to be a special person in my life and I am thankful for that. He hasn't changed at all, with the exception of having white hair. He still is slim and not a wrinkle on his face. Time has been good to him. He is still teaching, but now at is what is now Hoover High.
I always enjoyed being in Coach Wood's class. I like to think I was one of his favorites. He trusted me to run an errand to the office or something of the like. He was also involved in the boys football and basketball programs (in both middle school and high). My brother was three years younger than I. He played basketball from the time he was in elementary school throughout high school, so I saw alot of Coach Wood and would play "catch up" at my brother's basketball games. He was always interested in me and my classmates. Every time I see him, he always ask about people, wanting to know where life has taken them. I couldn't wait to get home to tell Big Daddy about running into him. Our running into one another certainly made the day even more grand!
By the time we got home, mine and my children's legs were sore and bodies completely worn out. If you get a chance, and live in the area, check out the Met Trail. It's a great hike.

I am curious....Did you have a special teacher of the past? If so who was it and what made them so special?