-Parenting- The Lesson Of Life & Death

Today has been the hardest day I've ever had as a parent...............and I've been a Mommy for six years now! Today's unfortunate lesson was "life and death." 


I received a call from my son's school this afternoon-one of those mass recordings from the principal. "It is with a heavy heart...........the passing of one our first grade teachers."  I think I went into shock at that moment. I vaguely remember bits and pieces of the rest of the message. My son is in first grade-he knows all four of the first grade teachers well. This morning, when I dropped him off (I usually walk in with him), I had noticed two of the first grade teachers were out. So now, my mind is racing-who, what?!?! No way, I had just talked with both of them yesterday morning, when I dropped my son off. Shock, tears, lots and lots of tears. In a school full of nearly 600 students, it's quite close-knit. Our school family is tight-knit.....


So letters came home, children will be told by the faculty tomorrow and counseling will be available-I'm sure pretty (Un) standard stuff. But now I had to go home and explain to my 6 year old son why he wouldn't see this particular teacher any longer. My husband and I shared this parental duty and when all was said and done (Phew!) - with only one question asked ("Why won't she be at school anymore?" - how do you explain eternity to a 6 year old?) - we went on with our evening. --- All was seemingly okay (I knew his highly intelligent and analytical mind was processing all this information), until bedtime. It took me well over an hour to get him to sleep. All the emotions and fears came rushing in. And it broke my heart. =( 


Tomorrow will be a big day at school, with counselors on hand, and the sharing of the news of this teacher's unexpected death, I mean we just saw her yesterday! ("thank you, Ms. ___, see you tomorrow! My exact last words to her!) - but for her tomorrow did not come. My heart goes out to her family, friends and the faculty and students.


I am emotionally drained and anticipate my son will be up at some point during the night. His mind was going a mile a minute when he fell asleep.