I'm Getting Too Good at This

I have sent too many condolence letters in my still rather short life -- and far too many for people who passed away before they finished living a long, productive life. And it hasn't even been my association with mountain climbing that has precipitated my close association with death.

I found out that my mentor's wife died unexpectedly yesterday. I have no more information than that, but it makes me heartsick. I did not know her well at all, but I do know her husband rather well -- I spent a year in his classroom.

You might have heard me talk about him as The Three-Time Winner of the CT of the Year Award (all three awards were from the same year), the God of Social Studies, the God of all Things Teaching, or simply My Idol. When I subbed in his classroom last year and the students said I was just like him, I got all twitterpated. Ditto when my own students (at the same school, but different class) told me I was "too much" like him. In my book, there is no "too much" when it comes to this man. He is an excellent teacher, both to his high school students and his student teachers. He is patient, kind, thoughtful, and intelligent. He also plays a mean game of shuffleboard.

I know little of his personal life -- mostly just things that I've gleaned from being around his classroom. They had Frisbees printed up for their wedding favors (there is one hanging in his room). The top hat in his room is also from his wedding: he and his groomsmen found them at a store across the street and wore them to the reception (I overheard him tell the story to a student once). They would ride their bikes to Beaverton to see family. They have a daughter who is an adorable, vibrant -- her picture is always his desktop at work. And from those clues, I know that they had a wonderful, fun life together. I can tell how right they were for each other. It breaks my heart to think about him dealing with such a stupendous loss.

And I can't help but also think of the other people I know who have lost their spouses. Everybody dies. I know that. But that fact does little to ease the pain that comes from the separation of people who love each other.