When life ends too soon

Students often tried to make me cry at the FFA Banquet.  I am not much of crier and I never felt the FFA Banquet was a place for tears.  The FFA Banquet is such a time of excitement, celebration and anticipation.  I always was a little sad to see seniors leave, but for the most part I would look at them and know their future was bright and the best part of their lives were yet to come. I had worked with most of the kids for several years and secretly had my own personal plan for their success.  I always hoped I would get to share in the highlights.  Thanks to Facebook as an Ag. Teacher you really get to see a lot of the good things that happen to your former students.  The passing of major tests, graduations, marriages, babies etc.  Unfortunately today I got to share in the tragedy of death on Facebook of a former student.

It looks like God was in need of another good personality, smiling, do anything you ask, kind of young person.  He found him! 

It was a few years after Cody had graduated from high school and I was late getting home from school (like 10PM late) and was in need of some necessity from Wal-Mart you know probably like Dog Food, diapers or milk.  With two young girls at home and a husband waiting, I was quickly leaving Wal-Mart walking to my car when a vehicle pulls up almost hitting me (mostly because I was in a fog).  The window rolls down and a genuine smile and a “whatcha ya doin’?” followed.  It was Cody.

When a life ends before what I dreamed had reached it’s true potential – that is something I shed a tear for.

We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.