The Mentor
(for Dushanthie)
When I think back to when first we met
There were no expectations of each other yet;
Your smile and presence quickly set the stage
For trust and respect, despite the difference in age.
Your eagerness to learn was like a breath of fresh air
A search for a destiny, and yet you didn’t know where.
You willingly listened, even when only curiosity-driven
And absorbed like a sponge all the feedback I’d given.
But as we moved beyond the early teaching phase,
Your positive spirit brought new light to my days.
I was struck by your focus, yet you always found “D”time
And it opened my eyes on to priorities during my prime.
We moved to a friendship…including hiking for miles
You showed me more about you… than any Personnel files.
You shared your thoughts, and lent me your ear;
We formed a bond that will last beyond living years.
And when we transgressed beyond the mentoring scope
It was your heart and soul with which I most had to cope.
For like your friends and your family who see it each day
When the mentoring was over, the new light went away.
So from this little rhyme I hope that you will find
Some personal satisfaction and relaxing peace of mind
In knowing those you’ve touched are truly in your debt
By teaching the value that Caring can set.
And in knowing there’s a word for such a woman of grace
Who captivates hearts with her smile and warm embrace.
It’s a French formal greeting known as: “L’Enchantée’”
This is the memory that I will keep of Dushanthie.
By
Duane Leffel
The “Mentor” (and ‘Mentee’)