Yesterday, Jordan and I stopped by her former preschool/kindergarten. While waiting in the car for the classes to let out, I went through her school folder. It was then that I spied a paper announcing that Cathy, a long-time lunch lady, unexpectedly passed away the day before. My eyes immediately welled up with tears.
At Jordan's school (which I think is true of all Catholic schools in the diocese), parents are required to do four lunch duties a year or pay $40. Because I am (pretty much) not working, I have done over a dozen at this point. I really don't mind them, actually. I enjoy being around the kids (remember, I do want to go back into teaching, at least most days), and it has been nice getting to know the teachers and some other parents. And getting lunch at the end of the shift is pretty nice too! But most notably, I have worked with Cathy, a woman who not only looks a little like my late grandma, but also has her same personality.
Whereas this paper in Jordan's folder described Cathy as touching lives with her kindness, I actually found her to be a little gruff. Just like my grandma was. Both women were nice, for sure, but they also could be abrupt and even snap at others at times. When I came home from lunch duty my first day, I told people (well, at least my friends on Facebook) that I wanted to hug Cathy and call her Grandma. I almost wish I would have told her how much she reminded me of my grandma, without pointing out the gruff part. And, selfishly, I kind of wish I had hugged her. I bet she might have even been okay with that.
I stopped by the funeral home today, for only a few minutes. I said a prayer, wiped away a tear, and was then stopped by one of her sons, who asked how I knew her. I explained just what I said above, including the abruptness, being sure to let the son know that even though I knew Cathy just a few months, she really meant a lot to me and I will miss her. I was choking up as I talked to him, so I pretty much just left after that.
Crazy to be affected by someone you barely know? Maybe. But sometimes the people you least expect to touch your life are the ones that end up doing so.
At Jordan's school (which I think is true of all Catholic schools in the diocese), parents are required to do four lunch duties a year or pay $40. Because I am (pretty much) not working, I have done over a dozen at this point. I really don't mind them, actually. I enjoy being around the kids (remember, I do want to go back into teaching, at least most days), and it has been nice getting to know the teachers and some other parents. And getting lunch at the end of the shift is pretty nice too! But most notably, I have worked with Cathy, a woman who not only looks a little like my late grandma, but also has her same personality.
Whereas this paper in Jordan's folder described Cathy as touching lives with her kindness, I actually found her to be a little gruff. Just like my grandma was. Both women were nice, for sure, but they also could be abrupt and even snap at others at times. When I came home from lunch duty my first day, I told people (well, at least my friends on Facebook) that I wanted to hug Cathy and call her Grandma. I almost wish I would have told her how much she reminded me of my grandma, without pointing out the gruff part. And, selfishly, I kind of wish I had hugged her. I bet she might have even been okay with that.
I stopped by the funeral home today, for only a few minutes. I said a prayer, wiped away a tear, and was then stopped by one of her sons, who asked how I knew her. I explained just what I said above, including the abruptness, being sure to let the son know that even though I knew Cathy just a few months, she really meant a lot to me and I will miss her. I was choking up as I talked to him, so I pretty much just left after that.
Crazy to be affected by someone you barely know? Maybe. But sometimes the people you least expect to touch your life are the ones that end up doing so.
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