The two most powerful words you can say.

Her name was Kerry Hedley. She was as tall and lean as a gum tree. She had a wide, generous smile that reached her eyes. She was the person who introduced me to the magic of Charlotte’s Web. And I, quite simply, adored her.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I read a memoir last year that gave my soul a pep talk: 365 Thank Yous by John Kralick.

Several years ago Kralick was a disgruntled, bankrupt lawyer (whose personal life was in tatters) when he attempts to turn his life around by forcing himself to write a thank you letter every day for a year. The letters could go to anyone who had done him a good turn at some point.  A waitress at his favourite diner. A former beloved mentor. A terrific handyman.  A loyal old school friend. A client who pays him on time. Didn’t matter.

So what happened? Well, to say the act of saying ‘thank you’ changed Kralick’s life is an understatement.

Without getting all Pollyanna on your arse, the book is really about the power of gratitude and the changes that come to your life when you focus on what you have rather than what you don’t. Cause let’s face it, most of the time we’re all focused on what’s missing, what’s lacking, how we’re being ripped off.

How often do we stop and say, thank you?  For me?  Rarely.

And yet when someone says thank you to me for something, the sun invariably shines a little brighter.  I feel appreciated.  It can literally make my day.

Which brings me back to Kerry Hedley.

For several years I tried to track down my grade four teacher: Mrs Kerry Hedley. Here’s what I remember about Mrs Hedley. She was really tall – as lean and tall as a gum tree – with brown curly hair. She had a wide, generous smile that reached her eyes. And once I saw her buying groceries at Woollies. (Oh my God! Mrs Hedley shops!) But most of all I remember how Mrs Hedley made me feel.  Special. Smart. Important.

I started trying to track down Mrs Hedley in 2000 but ran into dead-ends.  Then I tried again in 2009.  I just wanted to say thank you. See if she really was that tall. I followed bread crumb after bread crumb only to eventually receive an email that said “Rebecca,  Ms Kerry Hedley was removed from the Education Queensland register in 1999 as she had passed away”.

I read that email then poured myself a scotch and went and read Charlotte’s Web. I’d left it too late to say thank you.

For a long time it frustrated me that I didn’t know what happened to Mrs Hedley. How she died. If she had kids. Travelled. Loved teaching or hated it. But what I do know is that her impact on me lives on and that she is not forgotten.

(For the record, eventually I got in touch with Mrs Hedley’s brother and he graciously filled me in on her life. In return he said it gave him great pleasure to know that someone he and his family had adored so much was still being remembered and honoured.)

School reunions are good.  But for my money, thanking your favourite teacher is better.  So there’s something for your ‘to do’ list this month if you’re up for it. Track down your favourite teacher and say thank you.

And, just so you know, the Prime Minister is currently running a “Favourite Teacher” competition on her Facebook page.  Log on, nominate your favourite teacher and you’ll be in the running to have Prime Minister Gillard visit your current or old school.  Competition closes 12 November 2012.

The Prime Minister will be guest blogging with our sister site iVillage about the competition and the great stories she’s been hearing on Wednesday this week. Stay tuned for more details.

Who was your favourite teacher? What would you say thank you to them for teaching you?