Goodbye Seth
08-Mar-10
On Saturday afternoon my student Seth, who had been battling leukemia for six years, died of complications related to an infection. I am unable to find the words to express my grief. Moreover, as a newish father, the thought of losing a child has new meaning. All of this brings to mind my faith.
While I will certainly miss Seth, I am at the same time happy for him. I firmly believe that he is now in heaven in a state of eternal bliss, joy, and understanding. How could I not rejoice for him? He is in a place where there is no more suffering or misery. He is in a place without chemotherapy, spinal taps, bone marrow biopsies, and cancer. He will never again have to deal with nausea, or his hair falling out, or fear. Seth has suffered enough and now gets to exist in a place where he will never hurt again. It is for those who love him and will miss him to remember this, despite our despair.
It is difficult to explain the attachment a teacher feels for his students. They are a part of your daily life for one or, in my case, two years, and then they move on. While I am always sad to see them go, I know that they will continue to live their lives, hopefully using a lesson or two that I have taught them along the way. The death of a student is a new experience for me. Seth was a spectacular person. I know I will think of him and pray about him often.
I want to write more. I know there are more thoughts here I need to develop. I just can’t right now.
Seth, you rock. Rest in eternal peace.

