Hold your loved ones tight...

Yesterday was a draining day. Things are moving along as far as the house and the dishwasher, etc., but it was emotionally draining. The school I used to teach at was hit hard with the news that one of our teachers lost her husband in a tragic, senseless shooting. You can see the local news coverage HERE and an article HERE.

All over Facebook, former coworkers were mentioning it, and lamenting with the many losses that the school and city have suffered recently. One of our vice principals was killed last year in the drug violence in Mexico. Our principal lost her husband to cancer last year. We had more lay-offs than any other district in the San Gabriel Valley. It has been a lot for our staff to digest. This recent tragedy has hit the community very hard.

Sandra Saenz-Urias, the lovely teacher who lost her husband, is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She welcomed me to the school right from the beginning and always made an effort to say hello and give a smile. She teaches kindergarten, and I was always amazed at the way her little ones would behave for her without her ever having to raise her voice. She and her husband, Hector, were in the process of finalizing the adoption of their first child after trying unsuccessfully for 18 years to conceive one of their own.

It is one of those horrible events that just makes you ask WHY. Why did such a lovely couple have to be torn apart by something so violent and senseless?

As we keep Sandy and her family in our prayers, take a moment and think about the loved ones in your life. Make sure you tell them you love them, forgive the little imperfections, and hold them a little tighter. There's someone out there who wants to do the same thing and no longer can...