When teachers cry...

These flowers came to me today because of you Lynne. How beautiful of Trish and Gianni to care for me because of you.

This is tough! I have shed my private tears, rested in my husband's embrace...asked many "why's", prayed prayers of faith, trusted God for the soothing of her soul and silently known that her journey here on earth is over! I've come to school composed because its not about me- its now about these young ones, "these chickens" as Lynne would say who need to know that through pain and tears, life goes on. Losing a friend and colleague to a vile devastating condition such as Motor Neuronsdisease is an awful journey to walk. I have done this before...but the pain and heartache feels like a gaping cannonball in my chest. Today of all days is the anniversary of my beloved Father's passing away. He needed to be with Jesus- His was a release into life."I still miss you Daddy"." I'll love you forever. I console myself in that you and Lynne are probably talking about literature now". I need to be and want to be caring and compassionate because it is not only my loss but the loss to our students and wider community. At school today, staff and students alike were reflecting, weeping and generally considering just how quickly you went Lynne. Mrs Lynne Tito was a mother figure and mesmerizing mentor to hundreds of students, She was the "go to mother hen" who clucked and shielded those tougher ones; "just love them" she would often say.... "Yes i will massage their ego's" i would reply. Staff and parents alike drew strength from her warm and genuine acceptance of them. Life was tough for Lynne in many ways but she was tougher. She knew stuff, she knew people, she had life experience and she was an authentic story teller. When she smiled- it was genuine. Hers was the authentic appreciation of another soul.  I have had the privilege of 16 years of colleagial friendship with a sister and mentor who kept telling me that she was grateful to be in my life. One consolation I have is that I often told her just  how special she was. We would team teach, share morning tea and a favorite was the quick sign out at lunch to enjoy a McDonald drive- through meal- just us two in the car away from the "maddening crowd". We read and tried out the Diary of a Fat Man diet- lost the 4.5kgs in three days and then a week later laughed even louder as we had just so quickly gained all that weight back. Lynne eventually stared calling me her sister. My kiwi and spiritual sister indeed she was. I introduced her to my other "kiwi" sisters Heather and Robyn, and then along came Karen and Kerry and Celia and Carol, not quite in that order, and our 'sisterhood- in-Christ' just grew and grew. I know we did life together, we prayed for our children regularly, shared our trials and the MANY triumphs. She knew when i was hungry and always accepted my half of whatever we were gobbling. We had many afternoon teas together, a regular was the school holiday catch up for morning tea that started at 9am-ish and continued till 1pm. Kerry said it "there's never enough time to talk.."  Relationships matter most and in teaching relationships are the elixir of purpose on days when the admin is a pain in the butt. Friendships bloom because of the shared journey in this wonderful but demanding profession. We as teachers cry because the pressure needs to leak out. We as teachers cry when we are simply exhausted, and we teachers cry and ache when a beloved colleague (or student ) leaves this earth. "Shoulder to shoulder, a little here, a little there..." we will get through the tough stuff as we support each other. I've done life with  a phenomenal woman who joyously supported me and cheered me to BLOOM where i am! RIP Lynne Tito my darling friend.


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