I'm very involved with kids because after being a teacher for

Yolanda Adams, the singer of spirit and voice of faith, once declared with unshaken conviction: “I'm very involved with kids because after being a teacher for seven years, I just can't stop loving the kids. I am a teacher forever.” These words shine with the glow of eternal truth — that the calling of a teacher is not a profession to be cast aside, but a sacred vocation that endures long after the classroom walls have faded. In them we hear the heartbeat of devotion, the voice of one who knows that to teach is to love, and to love is to remain forever bound to the young.

The meaning of this reflection lies in the idea that teaching is not a temporary role but a lifelong identity. Adams speaks of seven years in the classroom, but she recognizes that the essence of a teacher is never left behind. To nurture, to guide, to uplift — these qualities remain woven into the soul. Even when her life’s journey led her onto the stage of music, she could not abandon the children, for they were not merely her students once upon a time, but forever the heirs of her care. Thus, to say “I am a teacher forever” is to acknowledge that teaching is a covenant written on the heart.

The origin of such truth is ancient, as old as the first storytellers who gathered the young around the fire. Among every tribe and every people, there have always been those who bore within them the spirit of the teacher — not because of duty alone, but because of love. The teacher is not merely a transmitter of knowledge, but a guardian of growth, one who cannot turn away even when formal service ends. Adams places herself in this timeless lineage, where the title of teacher is not earned by degrees but proven by devotion.

History gives us luminous examples. Consider Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. Though hired first as a governess, Sullivan’s role became that of a lifelong guide, mentor, and companion. She was not merely a teacher for a few years but, like Adams, a teacher forever. Her patient labor unlocked the silent world of her student, turning despair into triumph. Such examples remind us that the greatest teachers do not clock out when the day ends; they remain ever bound to their students’ lives.

Adams’s words also unveil the heart of love that sustains true teaching. For knowledge without love is cold, and instruction without care is lifeless. What makes a teacher eternal is not only the facts taught but the affection given. The student remembers not only the lesson but the one who believed in them, who nurtured them with patience and warmth. This is why Adams could never cease to love the children — because her teaching was never mechanical, but born from the well of compassion.

The lesson for future generations is clear: if you have the spirit of a teacher, it will never leave you. Even if your path changes — if you become an artist, a leader, a parent, or a worker of another craft — the heart that longs to nurture and guide will remain. Embrace it. Let it flow into every area of your life. For the world is always in need of teachers, not only in classrooms but in every corner of human life where the young, the lost, and the uncertain look for guidance.

Practical action must follow. Cherish the young around you; whether they are your children, your students, or simply the next generation you encounter, treat them as seeds entrusted to your care. Share not only knowledge but also encouragement. Be patient, be steadfast, and let your love be the foundation of your teaching. Do not think that teaching is confined to blackboards and books; it is in every moment where you inspire, uplift, and protect.

Thus, Yolanda Adams’s words stand as a testament: “I am a teacher forever.” This is not merely her truth but a universal calling for all who have once taught with love. The role of the teacher is eternal, for it is carved not in paper contracts but in the living bond between souls. To be a teacher is to live forever in the hearts of the young, to pass down light that continues to burn long after the voice has gone silent. And in this, the teacher touches eternity.