Perspective

This year I will ring in the New Year by attending a funeral. I got word this morning that the director from the preschool I used to teach at was killed in a car accident on Friday evening. While Cynthia and I were not what I would call close friends, I am forever indebted to her for her kindness and generosity. In a time that I would call the darkest for my family, one filled with the stress of my husband's unemployment for seven months and the grief of watching my mom decline in health as she struggled with cancer, Cynthia was not just my boss. She went out of her way to support our family. She approached the board of the preschool to have Bink's tuition completely waived while my husband was unemployed. She gave me preference for picking up extra hours, as she knew we needed it. Most importantly, she was always there with a word of encouragement, a hug and a smile. She was a very warm hearted person. Cynthia leaves behind three beautiful girls in their late teens and early twenties and her husband.

So, as a new year begins, I am reminded yet again of the things that are truly important. We hear over and over again to not take life for granted and to enjoy each moment of our lives and those we love. We all go through moments when life can be less than enjoyable, when the world seems like it has been turned on its ear. Existence is frequently harsh and filled with pain. It is, however, in these moments that we learn what we are made of. There were times when I thought I would crumble into a million pieces and be blown away by the breeze, when I could barely stand under all of it, but this is when I learned that I was much stronger than I thought I could ever be. This is when I learned to lean on those who loved me, that it's OK to ask when you need help. This is when I learned that the most important aspect of life is the friends and family you travel with through life. Not that I took them for granted before, but it gave me a whole new appreciation for them. Cynthia was one of those people. May she rest in peace and may her family find comfort from loved ones as they go through this difficult time.