Lunch is always delicious at school and more so as we chat over meals with my colleagues.
It was chilly and cold as I wrapped my overcoat around my neck and walked down the path towards the Primary Building. Then I saw him. One of my former students was sitting alone on the wooden bench, his face covered in sadness.
"Hello how is everything alright?"
"No"
"What happened, you seem very sad."
"My grandfather died!"
"Oh I 'm so sorry to hear this. You must have loved him very much."
"Yes"
"Where you very close to him?"
"Yes"
"Was he your Mum or your Dad´s Father?"
"My Mum's"
"When did he die?"
"This morning."
"But hasn't your family come to fetch you?"
"No, I wanted to come to school, because if I stay home its worse."
"Oh, I understand. It is so hard to lose someone we love."
My heart went out to him. I saw a very brave young man. He was not a child anymore. He decided to come to school in spite of his pain and he bore it bravely. The bell rang and it was time to work.
As we headed back to the main building we talked of our loses and the grief process. We remembered that the more we grieve the more valuable the person we lost is so that we can also be very thankful for the times we spent together. What a gift to have had someone to love and to be loved in return!
