I was 23 years old and living in Miami. One Sunday I attended a United Methodist Church there for the first time. That very Sunday I was made the teacher of a youth class full of unruly students. I agreed to be the teacher. After several weeks of class disorder, I never attended the church again, and made no attempt to communicate with the church office. Looking back, I accept responsibility for this breach of promise, but feel there were extenuating circumstances. I think the church's eagerness to put me in charge of a youth class knowing nothing about me and with no vetting whatever indicated a certain irresponsibility (or desperation) on their part. I felt very bad about my irresponsible behavior--very much a failure, but not so bad as to return.
A side note: The Sound of Music portrayed my model for the perfect teacher--if I could only be like Maria and fill the classroom with grace and charm and win the love and respect of all the students--where even discipline was fun. Alas, I seldom have seen this model perfectly replicated.
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