I saw "Hereafter" the other day (Matt Damon, some wonderful acting English boy, and a French Lady) and payed way to much attention to the credits. (Not sure why... :)?) I just don't go to the movies very often. Anyway, the credits did me no good, but I got to thinking, "What if life ran a credits roll once you were done?" I get the feeling that with a thousand years to add them up I wouldn't get half of the people on there that should be.
If there was someone I could never forget, it would be Professor Kendall Grant. He taught me so much more than English. My stomach knots up a little just thinking about it. I got the first C of my life in his class. Blew my mind; but it knocked down my presets, and Brother Grant opened my eyes.
He taught us to write real. He taught us to see, and pay attention to the master teachers around us. I love it! The midterm took us two weeks. Every day, 90 minutes reading, half an hour writing, turn in a new paper every class. It made a lot of us sick. But it taught me to think. Details peeled away in layers in every reading, like why he put a comma instead of ending the sentence, or that his clauses averaged 9 words; but varied long and short lengths just to please the reader. Then, I would turn around and write. Professor Grant taught me I could learn from anyone I want. If I want, Abraham Lincoln can instruct me. I just need to pick up a piece of their writing and ingest it.
I think that Professor Grant showed me how to think. And I appreciate him for it. Ever since his class, I see the world with open eyes. The best part is he lit the way and let me scale the mountain. I learned more in one English generals class with him than all of my education before. So, Professor Grant, this is a tribute to you, one of the best teachers I have ever had. Maybe it's because I love words and he taught me so much about them, but if I had some goofy credits roll, he would definitely come right near the top.

Photo: http://web.byui.edu/directory/employees/EmployeePhoto.axd?Employee=GRANTK