Always a Teacher: Amy Graves Jordan

Look up the word “teacher” and you will find this face:  Amy Graves Jordan

A sad fact in life today is we are often moving so fast that we don’t take the time to acknowledge people who literally change the direction of your life.  For me, that’s part of what this blog is about.  Taking time to tell those people what they mean to me.  How they changed my life. 

This person I don’t think I have even seen or talked to in 3-5 years.  Our lives once connected by our first high school jobs we would see each other several times a week.  Amy and I went to different high schools and worked at the same Hallmark card shop.  What memories high school such a pivotal time of choices in a person’s life.  The big questions, like, who you go to prom with, what do you do on a first date, seem huge.  The small questions like, do you go to college and where seem so trivial.  It’s only later you learn that the big questions then become small and the small questions literally set the direction for your life.

Amy always knew she would be an elementary school teacher.  If you look up the word in the dictionary I know you will find her photo there. She truly is the best of the best.  Knowing what she wanted Amy went off to school out of the area and I stayed local.  One night her mom came in to the Hallmark and asked me to call Amy.  She asked me to explore the idea of her coming back to Linfield College not too far from where we live.  I must have made that call, I don’t remember it.  All I know now is that Amy convinced me that I was “good enough” to get in to Linfield.  A college I had considered right out of high school and didn’t apply cause I knew even with my GPA I could never be accepted.  Fall of 1996, two years after high school graduation we walked on to campus together Amy an elementary education teaching major, me a business major.  We rushed Alpha Phi sorority together and walked across the stage two years later on graduation day together.  Our paths have unfolded one day, one week, and one year at a time.  I don’t see Amy as much as I would like.  I still remember the laughter and innocence of days gone by.   Thank you Amy for giving me the courage to apply to Linfield, for I know that decision catapulted other decisions that make both of us the women we are today.

What every woman should learn from a friend like Amy.  Never forget old friends.  As the song goes make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.  As they say in Alpha Phi, aoe, Amy!  I am so proud of you beautiful teacher and amazing mom!