in memory of a colleague

yesterday, as i was walking through ala moana shopping center with my family, i received a phone call from my mom...she said she heard that a colleague of mine had been killed in an act of domestic violence, if i knew anything about it (she hadn't caught the names), and if i was okay...

although i didn't know who it was at the time, my heart was immediately saddened...although we have approximately 200 people on staff, the culture of my workplace is one of a large family....and like any large, extended family, there are those who are easier to love and those who you know better than others...but whoever it was, the loss would be felt...

then i got the call from another co-worker who gave me the details as she knew them up to that point in time...although surrounded by numerous shoppers scurrying to and fro, in that moment when i learned who it was, i felt strangely isolated and alone.

i knew her. in those interactions i had with her over the years--albeit brief and infrequent--i learned that she was quiet and smart and had a ready smile. she made a positive impact on her students. she will be missed.

her mild demeanor makes the whole situation more tragic...and i was further saddened to hear that her young son was also a victim. he was about the same age as my youngest daughter.

trying to make sense of the senseless...