It’s 8am. I should be on my way to work. Instead, I am sitting here, uncomfortable in my black dress and sheer nylons. At least I’m still wearing my slippers, but I can see a sliver of black heels lurking around the corner in the front hallway. I’ve blown my hair dry and put on my make-up. I’ve already taken my final sip of tea. It’s time to go, but I don’t want to leave.
When I walk out of this cozy house, away from the comfortable chair and the mercifully impersonal computer screen, I’m not heading to the school. My students won’t greet me with comments on my haircut (so much shorter!) or my fancy clothes (why are you so dressed up?). I’m going to a funeral.
This one is hard. I suppose all funerals all. I don’t even know the deceased, but I do know his daughter. His funny, loud, thoughtful, expressive, loving, wonderful daughter. She is not my student; she is my colleague. She is great in the classroom. She has some sort of crazy ability to see into the very heart of her students – especially the ones who have made themselves almost invisible to others – and she challenges them all to rise and rise to the very top of their abilities. Students don’t all love her, but those who do love her fiercely, unconditionally. And before she went on leave, she was mad at me.
There’s not much I can do about her anger. The cause is so transient as to be irrelevant. I know that the anger will pass, that I am only a convenient target for frustrations that were so widely scattered that she could barely keep them all in sight. But she was really mad. And I was trying to be patient.
I am not always patient.
And now her father has died. This wonderful woman is in pain. I do not want to add to her pain. I want her to know that, even though she is mad at me and even though I am not always patient, I will continue to support her and even to love her.
I hope that the heels and the sheer tights and the black dress and the new haircut speak loudly of love because I’m not sure that I will have the words.
I am crying. Honestly. Please share this w/ your colleague, and if she questions your motives, tell her an old teacher who for 37 years has walked in her shoes, shoes that push kids to be their best and whom not all love, told you to share this tribute. I’m sure your colleague will feel your love both through your support at her father’s funeral, even if all you offer is a hug and an “I’m sorry” and through this touching blog post.
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Thank you. I will try to work up the nerve to share it when she returns. I am glad I went this morning.
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Love shows up, whether it’s wanted or not. ❤ Grief is a hard thing to understand when you're not going through it. Give her time and space. It can be so hard to know what to do for someone who is grieving.
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Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate them.
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Funerals are times when someone being there speaks more than words. She’ll hear your heart. Now, and in the days ahead.
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Thank you for your kind words. I am, indeed, glad that I went.
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So, so beautifully written, and especially tender for me today. I also attended a funeral. Funerals bring up complicated emotions, but all we can do is simply love. Thank you for joining the SOL challenge! I hope to read more of your posts.
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I hope that your funeral was also a celebration of life. I was glad to see my colleague doing as well as I could hope. Thank you for your kind words.
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