Reminders of times gone by.

Whilst watching Eddie Izzard on telly on Sunday night, I had need to grab a bible to check something out. Indeed I am a pedant by nature.

There are at least 4 bibles in the house. Not because any of us are particularly religious, but because I studied Religious Education through high school, including A'Level. Religion has intrigued me for a long time. Two of my bibles are keepsakes - one belonged to my Uncle Jim, another has my mother's name in the front. One, covered in the distinctive red protective cover came from the Gideon's and was given to each of us at high school. This one, however, is quite special.

When we started our A'level course, Mr Austin, our teacher - his first name WAS Steve - gave each of us a our own hardback copy of the Good News Bible - this was the recommended version for the course that we studied. We were required to annotate during lessons, adding the key concepts and references to biblical scholars that we would need to reference in our essays and examination questions. The final A'level exam was 2 papers - both 3 hours long - one on the Old Testament and one on the New testament.

I loved RE. I had a great teacher - I was fortunate to be in Mr Austin's class right the way through my 7 years (including sixth form) at high school. He was the perfect teacher to me - interesting, funny, fair - and he was always there for me whenever I needed to chat about whatever was going on in my strange little teenage world.

If truth be told, it's probably because of him that I decided to become a teacher.

Sadly, despite loving the subject, and doing well in my work along the way, when it came to the exam, I flunked spectacularly. I always felt, and still do, that I let him down - because I was so much better and more interested than my result suggested. Thinking back, I can still remember revising so much for my R.E exams - with posters and post-it notes all over my bedroom, in sections, so that I could close my eyes and visualise the notes. I can remember some of them now - apparently, I wasn't able to articulate myself in the exam.

I met up with him a five years ago, after a particularly harrowing 4 months, and he was just the same. No longer teaching, but working with young people in difficult circumstances. I wonder what he is doing now - would like to catch up and buy him a pint!

So, Mr Austin - wherever you are - know that you touched this life significantly and you are remembered fondly.

Edit - after I posted this, I checked my phone and found a number...thinking it probably wouldn't be his number anymore. But it was - so I have said hello, and Merry Christmas. All is well with the world :-)