Donald Spearin View A Story - Burlington, Ontario | Guelph Line Smith's Funeral Home
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This Book of Memories memorial website is designed to be a permanent tribute paying tribute to the life and memory of Donald Spearin. It allows family and friends a place to re-visit, interact with each other, share and enhance this tribute for future generations. We are both pleased and proud to provide the Book of Memories to the families of our community.

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Belief and Faith, Never Forgotten

I was so fortunate to be in Mr. Spearin's English class for Grade 12. He not only made the work enjoyable, but he always radiated love for what he taught. One thing I will never forget came about after a project he'd assigned, to write a short story about something that that inspired us, something we were intrigued by. I had always been a fan of writers like Stephen King, Robert McCammon, stories of eeriness or mystery, so that's what I wrote. I turned it in, and in due time they were handed back. Yes, I got a good grade, but he asked me to stop by after classes for a quick word. I appeared shortly after the last bell to find him organizing his desk, but he stopped the moment I entered the room. He told me how drawn into my story he had become, how he had been a bit disappointed when it ended. High praise indeed! Then he told me about a writing contest that he knew of, and suggested that I enter my story. I was a little taken aback, and immediately thought that no, my story wasn't of the quality needed to enter a contest. I think he could see what I was thinking, and he did his best to get me to seriously consider it. I promised him I would think about it, touched that he had the belief and faith in my work to suggest a next step like this. It has always been a big regret that in the end, I didn't share his belief in my ability, and I didn't enter the contest. I've often wondered what would have happened if I had. He had no idea at the time, but his encouragement and faith in me would come back again, years later, when I was sitting on the fence about taking a step into the unknown about other things. I've taken more than one step forward, remembering his words from so long ago. Thank you Mr. Spearin. You'll never be forgotten. - Kimberlee Jamieson Flowers, Sir Winston Churchill SS, Class of '82
Posted by Kimberlee Jamieson Flowers
Saturday May 18, 2019 at 4:31 pm
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