What a Humbling, Awesome Feeling

I've been teaching a weekly course in Personal Development in the Suffolk County, NY jail system for almost nine years now. The rewards I've received far outweigh the work and time I have put in there. Two days ago, one of the inmates who was to be discharged later that day came to me at the end of the class and shook my hand and thanked me for opening up his mind and heart to his spiritual side. I stood there in awe of how blessed I am to have the opportunity to touch the lives of the men in my class.
A month ago, my wife and I were attending a local town's annual festival on a Sunday afternoon and as we got out of the car a man came running up calling my name. It was a fellow who had been in my class at the jail four years ago. He proceeded to gush on and on, beaming about how his life had changed since his incarceration. He gave me much of the credit for inspiring him to make a new life for himself. He was sober and drug free. He had reconciled with his parents who had disowned him. He had begun again to be the husband and father he had always wanted to be. Again, I stood there in awe, giving thanks that I had made that first drive out to the jail nine years ago. I had no idea what I was getting myself into at the time but I wouldn't trade a minute of it. It's like no other feeling you could experience. I'm sure that these moments are but glimpses of what Heaven is like. Ah, Heaven on Earth.
It's there for everyone.