Roller Coaster
So remember how I posted last weekend about how wonderful and happy my life was? This has been a rough week and I'm trying to find that happy place again. The real culprits have been my lack of sleep (and yes, I'm posting this at 11:15 when I should be in bed) and my stupid hormones which always make me morose and weepy for at least one week in every five. Sleep deprivation, cold weather, and PMS are not a good combination to have when you're hosting a family gathering. The truth is, Thanksgiving went really well. We managed to find a lovely new (to us) dining table just in time for the celebration, my little brother survived the blizzard in Seattle and made his flight here on time, my parents drove up safely, and all the food was tasty and prepared without mishap. But it's still been a rough week. We finally received some news about a long-lost family member; this is mostly happy, but the story is not finished yet and emotions have been pretty high all week. Then on Thursday night I decided to browse the paper online and found out that one of my students was killed in a car accident that day. I have been having a hard time getting over this news; I especially feel bad because she was somewhat quiet and I felt like I didn't get to know her that well. I also feel worried about her family, but I don't know them at all and I feel frustrated by the fact that things like accidents show up for one day in the news and then we never hear anything again. It also seems to be bringing up memories of several other people I have known that suddenly died during the last few years. I think more than anything I just need a good night's sleep and hopefully I'll find my way back to the proper perspective.
Comments
What I specifically wanted to tell you, though, is what the media failed to mention about the accident. It wasn't as simple as pulling out into an oncoming semi. My FIL drives that route regularly to deliver the mail and he has been worried about that intersection for some time. There is a bunch of cedar brush that obscures the view of oncoming traffic and makes it difficult to see what's coming.
Best wishes to you--and to the students in your class. I hope you will all find some comfort and peace despite the sorrow.