Thursday, May 28, 2009

ANOTHER LOSS

we lost an 8th grader today...moped accident, three others involved not injured. Acting like 14 year olds and got hit by a dump truck. On the first day of summer break. Heart breaking for all of us. You talk and talk, but it's never going to happen to them, they are invincible. Only yesterday I warned them to be careful as they left school. I wonder if they even heard me.

This erases the stress of the long year, the tutoring and monitoring, the worry. We won't have another chance with him again, he is out of our hands now, in wiser, kinder hands...he will be cared for in a way we couldn't give him here. But he will be missed and grieved over.

I hope you all are out of school soon. I finish June 5. I'm really looking forward to some time away from work, time with Stephen King and the kiddos. Our principal said today in our last meeting, "I cannot lie, it's been BAD." Maybe it is bad all over, I don't know, but I do know this has been our most difficult year in a long time. Our staff is so dissatisfied with admin that a gray cloud hangs over us all. I met with my middle school teachers on Thursday and thought they were staging a mutiny. I had to remind them we were here for the kids and they pick up on our negative vibes. I think it trickles down from the top. Hopefully, a long break will help everyone recover his/her spirit.

Stephen King and I went to Portland over the weekend for our niece's wedding. It was so nice; nice hotel suite, wonderful weather, being with family from far away, walking the city, seeing the wild green mountains and rivers around Portland. Such a nice 4 days. And then we return to Houston and Continental's HELL HOLE; THREE PLANES, 6 HOURS AND SEVERAL MILES ON FOOT later we finally take off. The plane we flew in on lost a door! the first plane we boarded had mechanical issues, the second was coming in from Mexico City (swine flu) but suffered electronic problems shortly after we boarded, the third was blowing fuses and had no lights for the first 30 minutes we sat in it, but eventually took off with a load of praying passengers. We were scheduled to get home at 10:30, that became 3:00 AM. I had to be at work at 7:00. Looking like death on a cracker, I was on time. I love road trips...when you use a road. And Courtney thinks I'll fly to OZ, wrong.

We have been eating from the garden this week! yummy. Lettuce, cauliflower, green onions, rhubarb. Everything looks wonderful, but poor yardner weeds daily.
Ladies, I cannot be chipper any longer, gotta go cry awhile and pray for the family that lost their golden boy. Talk later, Love you all.

5 comments:

Staci said...

Oh Hedy, this makes my heart hurt and my stomach ill! Tonight is our graduation and being the realist that I am, I am thinking of these kids and wondering how many of them that we are going to lose to senseless tragedies, drugs, etc. I try to keep my optimism, but sometimes it is just a gut feeling that I can't shake.

We have 5 girls that are 5.0 students, one of them was in a horrible car accident Saturday. She is insistant on attending graduation so I have been making arrangements to make sure she is as comfortable as possible for the event. As I sat with her Tuesday when she got home from the hospital, her biggest concern was her Comp II final. This child is lucky to be alive and she is concerned about maintaining her GPA. There are a few of them out there!!

Love to you all...and your students! Staci

Hedy King said...

Thanks, Staci. We all take risks putting our heart into our work with these kids. We had a group session for his friends yesterday at school. It seemed to help them accept reality. I'm glad I was there for them, but wish I didn't have to be, you know?

Jill Tucker said...

Hedy, those babies are blessed to have you...

Kirstie said...

Hedy, I am with you more than ever. Our school had suffered another tragic loss. Just one day after school let out, a high school student died in a car accident on his way home from Football practice. I don't know what to say. It is just so hard to understand.

Hedy King said...

Kirstie, I don't suppose we are intended to understand, some things are just beyond us. We've tried to comfort and allow the kids to openly grieve and ask questions. The services were rough on everyone, but the celebrating of his life was good. Kids seemed to gain from it. So many at that age do not know how to grieve and accept life's tragedies. You are getting quite an initiation into counseling this year, more than your share of burdens. You are strong and good, these will make you stronger. Love you.