The author believes that happiness equals success. Which is why, at age 50, the author fears retirement. The author believes that he may have found the fountain of youth for his spirit: the joy of teaching children, living in his community, and getting to witness learning. The author loves what he does. By asking he got to this point, he hopes the joy he feels can be shared. All teachers deserve to feel this good. Thousands of factors shape every teacher. This article presents the story of the author from childhood to now, divided into five narratives: (1) The Foundation; (2) Creative and Confused; (3) The Whole Teacher; (4) Poverty or Purpose; and (5) Educator for Life. None is all that unusual, but a lot can be gleaned from them.