A mom of two of my former students died a little bit ago. I got along well with these boys, and enjoyed a good teacher-student relationship with them. In my eleven years of teaching, I have had this happen three times, the death of a parent. In my first year of teaching, one of my girls' mom froze to death over the Christmas break. A couple of years ago, a boy's father died on the operating table.

I ache for these children whose worlds are suddenly turned upside down. Having been blessed to grow up in a family where Death did not touch us closely, I feel, at times, inadequately prepared to deal with these things. This most recent death is difficult because of the mess that is left behind, and because I am no longer their teacher.

There is nothing I can do, nothing to do. I wish I could make things better, but Death does not discriminate. It is a sad reality.