In learning you will teach, in teaching you will learn. -Phil Collins

Bill didn't understand how the world worked. For some reason, liking to read was cool for girls, but not for boys. He was only a fourth-grader though. As he entered the library, he tried as much as possible to go unnoticed. He was messy and nerdy, and didn't feel very confident about himself.

The librarian, Mrs. Caffiere, noticed Bill, and kind of saw something special about him. She was always very kind to him. He noticed Bill's love for books, and recommended a few. She would ask him if he read the books, if he liked them, why, and what he learned. She genuinely listened when Bill spoke. Bill felt comfortable around her. He could be himself -- messy and nerdy -- without feeling self cautious about it. Their relationship increased Bill's love for books, which played a big role in Bill's future success in his career.

The young boy: Bill Gates.

Here's what he wrote some time back on his blog:

"Looking back on it now, there’s no question that my time with Mrs. Caffiere helped spark my interest in libraries (Melinda’s and my first large-scale effort in philanthropy) and my focus on helping every child in America get the benefit of great teachers. I often trace the beginning of our foundation to an article about children in poor countries dying from diseases eliminated long ago in the U.S. But I should give some credit as well to the dedicated librarian and teacher who helped me find my strengths when I was nine years old. It’s remarkable how much power one good person can have in shaping the life of a child."

When I learn something new, I believe I owe it to the world to at least teach one person about it. You never know what effect something so simple to you may have on someone else.

I know there's a lot of experienced developers on this platform and I'd like to take a moment to reach out to you. I really like the opportunity Dev.to offers to volunteer as a mentor. Please take advantage of that to help change someone's life 🙂. And if you'd like to be mentored (I'm a beneficiary 😊) then register as a mentee. Then leave the rest to the wonderful Dev.to team. They'll find you a match based on your interests and goals.

Anyone else have an interesting mentor/mentee story to share with the rest of the class? 😄