Loss

9-9-09

When I got to school today everything seemed normal. I completed my morning duty of carting the 50 pound breakfast tubs up to the second floor and I took my place on the stairwell. I have to make sure none of the kiddies fall up the stairs. The children all filed in one after another and I directed them to the right side of the staircase, all as normal. About ten minutes into this parade of normal one teacher came down the stairs with a student in tears trailing after her. This same student had not been crying minutes earlier. With my curiosity peaked, my ears perked up to listen. I overheard two phrases: "Was she sick?" "She was taking medicine and took too much of it."

The student's mother had died last night. There were several levels of awe that I experienced. I can't believe that this girl's mother died. I know her mother. She was at all of the chorus concerts last year and I spoke with her several times. I can't believe that she's gone. I can't believe that the girl came to school. I can't believe that she wasn't upset earlier when she walked by. The girl came to school because she wanted to go on her class field trip. I can't believe that she wanted to go on the field trip. There were all kinds of crazy swirling thoughts capsizing in my head.

My heart breaks for this little girl. To lose a parent at any age is difficult. My father died a little over four years ago. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him and miss him. I want to tell him about my day, about the latest Braves game, about our repair business, about everything that crosses my mind. I was 27 not 10. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been 10 when my dad died. The only thing I can think is that she must be in shock. Her mind probably can't even conceive all the pain that it will endure over the rest of her life.

Please pray for this girl. How her life will turn out, I do not know. I do know that the Lord will protect all his children and hold them close to his heart.

Have a blessed evening, be grateful for your family, and thanks for reading my 18th blog.