I'VE been teaching for 36 years — the longest job I've had. But because I stayed here longest, that means I love this job. I admire those who've spent 40 years teaching without repeating themselves. They've taught for 40 different years, not just one year repeated 40 times. Teachers like the late Prof. Emmanuel 'Eric' Torres come to mind.

Prof. Torres was my teacher in creative writing and modern poetry at the Ateneo de Manila University. He taught with the books closed, without the help of Cliff Notes. It was because, as National Artist Rolando S. Tinio put it, he had digested the images, the textures, the very smells of the poems and stories he taught to us.