Remembering Mr. Monahan

Sad.  Simply sad

to lose my high school art and photography teacher

Mr. Tom Monahan.

I've been reading post after post on facebook

from so many of his former students.

Legacy.

That's what comes to mind.

Here's the legacy he left in my life . . .

When I was a senior in high school,

I signed up for the Junior Miss Pageant

because, well, it was on my "ought-to" list.

But I was SO worried and anxious the whole time

because I didn't think I had a "talent" to perform.

Whining and lamenting about this problem

{that I voluntarily signed up for}

Mr. Monahan gave me this idea.

Using black lights and neon pastel chalks,

draw and dance to music.

He gathered up the black lights and the black felt for me to paint and draw on.

Approximately 4x6 foot piece of felt/velvety material and mounted it on wood.

Then I used his airbrush to paint the picture.

I also airbrushed a t-shirt for part of my costume.

Each week I would go to practice and the other girls would practice their talent,

and I would say, "I'm working on it."

I practiced a bit at home, but really only did the real thing the night of the performance.

I won the creative and performing arts portion of the competition.

And if I remember correctly, I was a teachers aid for Mr. Monahan and Mr. LaRue that year.

I think I worked on that project when I was supposed to be helping them.

Yes, that was cool then to win an award.

But the legacy is now.

For the past 5 years, I have been teaching Bible school to middle schoolers.

Each year we have a program,

and the older kids seem to lose their enthusiasm for Bible school programs.

So we take the "fear" out of standing up in front of people

by turning out the lights and doing a skit with black lights

and use my old box of neon pastels from that high school pageant.

The kids and I love it.

I have received such notes of kindness about those skits.

And these skits that glorify God go back to my pageant project

that Mr. Monahan inspired.

I never would have thought of that on my own.

In addition, I was part of Art Club.

Mr. Monahan was an advisor and we were able to see first-hand

into what it takes to be an entrepreneur

with Tom's T's and that beginning of T&M Studios.

Because Mr. Monahan was my teacher,

I had the privilege of watching him start this business with Mr. LaRue, and see it grow.

Take something they loved and were interested in and build it.

Create a business.

Create jobs.

Do what he loved.

That was an inspiration to me.

Today, Mr. Monahan is one of many

that has inspired me to take risks

and do what I love.

A few weeks ago,

I was able to give Mr. Monahan a big hug

and proudly show him the work in art and photography

that I am doing today.

I felt like a school-kid again

showing my teacher,

"Look what I did."

I had no idea that would be the last time

I would see him.

But his legacy is carried on in my life.

*

I know others have their own legacy story . . .

of Mr. Monahan or of a beloved teacher.

I'd love to hear . . .