I've been through quite a bit in my life so far. I've overcome many obstacles. I don't think I would be the person I am today if I had not had the experiences I have had. Some experiences were quite more intimate than others. With that being said, I will share my most recent "hardest thing I have experienced."
Three years ago, one of the teachers at my school discovered she had cancer. She was the most positive person I have ever known. She went through treatment and missed days from work, but she came back even better than ever. This past year, the cancer returned. She didn't want anyone to know. Not even me as her supervisor. She didn't want all the fuss over her. The cancer got worse. She began to slowly deteriorate. It was difficult watching her go through this terrible disease. She ended up passing on a couple of weeks before Christmas.
This young woman had just turned 34 years old. She was a devoted wife and a mother of 3 young children- 6, 4, and 18 months. She was a kindergarten teacher at my school.
This was a very difficult time. The campus is a fairly new campus that just opened about 6 years ago. Many of the staff are the original staff. She too was part of the original staff that opened up the school. There is a bond that forms among people when you open up a new school. It is something unique, so losing one of our own, was a very sad and difficult thing. Being at the forefront of this staff and trying to continue leading and keeping the momentum going, staying focused, and keeping the morale strong can be a difficult task.
Prior to her passing, everyone wanted to help. Everyone wanted to do something. Everyone included the community. Everyone wanted to do fundraisers and collect money for the family. Having to make decisions on what to allow and what not to all while protecting the family, protecting the campus, protecting the district from any harm was hard. All the while, I was grieving in my own heart. I lost a teacher. A young teacher who had a husband and children. It just broke my heart.
The experience did put a different perspective on things for me. Although I've known this, it helped me see even more so that when we think we are suffering or have problems, there is always someone else who just may need a few more prayers than ourselves.
