It's Been a Hard Week

To quote the Randy Rogers Band, it's been just that. Several times this week, I've thought of that song as I put myself on autopilot to make it through. While there are so many levels of thoughts, rationalizations, and philosophies I've explored this week, I think I'll stick to the facts, as much as possible.

A bit of background--December 2005, one of my female freshman students was found hanged in her closet. My English class had just finished reading an Agatha Christie murder mystery in which the last character hangs herself.

Good Friday, April 6, 2007. A male student from that same freshman English class was found dead in his bed Friday morning from a drug overdose.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007. The forty year-old husband of a coworker died of a heartattack. He had no prior medical history and leaves behind a wife of almost ten years (April 26th is their 10 year anniversary) and a five year-old daughter.

Friday, April 13, 2007. Two more students found in possession of drugs on campus. They left in handcuffs. In a separate incident, a vulnerable student hit in the stairwell by a bully, just because the smaller bully could . . .

Add into this the stress of high-stakes state testing next week--which I have to help organize--a graduate class on Tuesday night, and my principal's certification test this morning and you begin to get a picture of the week I've had. Plus, I have three papers to finish for graduate classes and some new planning for teaching The Catcher in the Rye.

It's been a hard week . . . .but God does show us there is hope. Another co-worker's wife went into labor Friday the 13th. I haven't heard anything from them, but I hope they are loving a beautiful daughter right now.