Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Day an Angel got Her Wings

A year ago to this day, the world lost a great lady.  I never met this lady, but I know all she did all she could do to survive.

I had heard about the ITV Spanish class in Oklee, and I knew they were looking for a long-term sub.  I assumed they had found someone.

It turns out, no one applied.

One day, as I was subbing in Red Lake Falls, I heard that Spanish class was going to be cancelled because their teacher was dying from a rare form of brain cancer.  It broke my heart for this woman.

When I got home, my phone rang.  A woman who used to sub for me in Fosston called to tell me I needed to call the  school about the Spanish job.

"You're what the school needs."

So, I called the principal and got the job.

Only, how does one rejoice in the job knowing there is a woman losing her battle to cancer?   I couldn't rejoice.  I had to accept my job with all humbleness.

A week after I accepted my position, the dear lost her battle.  I'm not sure how we made it through the day.  Some schools asked me to turn off the transmition while the students grieved privately.  Some schools kept their transmitions on and told me stories about their beloved teacher.  They made homemade cards and expressed their sympathy to her family and children.

I remember wondering how I found myself in front of this classroom and thinking it was an angel who led me there.

I think it's the same angel who gently reminds me that my sisters' prognosis is so hopeful and for this, I am thankful.

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