... Taught Value of Responsibility

They taught that personal actions have consequences and that individual must be accountable for his or her choices. They emphasized that when people think others are to blame for problems, that very thought is real problem. They taught that each student was ultimately responsible for his or her learning and its impact on their future.

... Taught Value of Perseverance

They taught that education continues until our last breath. They told stories about hard times they had faced, and how God had often turned difficulties into blessings. They refused to let students quit after repeated failures. They demonstrated that "Faith is assurance of things not yet seen."

Not all of these teachers taught in formal classrooms. Nor did they all have a formal education. Some of them are still teaching, and education they provide is priceless.

I believe that greatest gifts we can give our children are same kind of values these teachers demonstrate. Then our children can also become unforgettable teachers, sharing values that will inspire happiness and faith for future generations.

When wearing of tartan was again permitted, there developed a keen interest in reestablishing or reinventing family tartans, beginning with Highlanders and later spreading to all of Scotland.

King George IV and Queen Victoria both fell in love with Highlander image as popularized by Sir Walter Scott, and greatly encouraged adoption of this cultural symbol. Today, there are around 2800 tartans listed in Scottish Heritage World Register - including ones for football clubs, individual towns, clans, and military regiments.

Sometimes, when we discover that Scottish tartans are not ancient, it "takes shine off" our interest. In this case, it really shouldn't. The wearing of tartan and linking patterns (called setts) to particular families has done so much to unite Scottish culture world-wide and to reestablish our connections with our ancestors and with our fellow "Scots of diaspora."

It is good to care about past and to connect with our cultural roots and traditions. And there is no doubt at all that Highlanders invented these wonderful plaids. Find your tartan and wear it with pride!

April 6 is National Tartan Day in United States - a perfect opportunity to show off your Scottish heritage.