Today I lost one of my closest friends. She passed away at 6:00 tonight. Just like that she’s gone. I feel so numb all over completely powerless and detached from the world. Today as I sat on the dusty streets of Mexico with my back up against the concrete wall of the church, tears pouring from my eyes I realized how unfair life is. I will miss her so much. I’ll miss her laugh and her sarcasm. I’ll miss her loving, involved, marker chunking, teaching style. I’ll miss the words of encouragement and constant support she gave me. I’ll miss getting to vent to her about not being able to spell or how frustrated I was with my jump shot… we never did get that down just right. She was at my first and last basketball game. She was my hero and my mentor. Every time I eat a BMT from Subway or a sourdough bread bowl with broccoli cheese soup from Panera I will laugh and think of her. One day I will get married and I’ll wear white Converse shoes and if God blesses me with a baby girl her name will be Jennifer Renee… because that’s how much she touched me. She’s gone. It’s still not real. The only thing that keeps me going; the only thing I have to hold onto is that God has a plan and one day I’ll get to see her again. Tonight as I laid there shaking from the pain and sorrow the arms of my Mexican brothers and sisters wrapped around me and picked me up. Their words were in a different language but I heard them loud and clear. My teacher wrapped his arms around me and put my head on his chest and just held me letting me know it was all going to be OK. God was there. He was taking care of me. It was by His grace I had her for as long as I did and it’s by His grace that she leaves me. I love you JJ. See ya soon.
*J.J Marks 1975-2008*
She led the classroom where students learned to love more than math.
TEACH. LOVE. INSPIRE.
Psalm 142:3, 5 (the message)
As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away, you know how I’m feeling, I cry out, GOD, call out: ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment