When I was a sophomore in High School, I took Driver’s Ed.  almost everyone did.  We had those classroom tables that had 2 chairs.  So Mark and I sat together.  It was the beginning of 2nd semester.  And one weekend, early on in the semester, Mark, and 2 students from a neighboring high school were killed in an auto accident.  They hit black-ice while speeding.  They had not been drinking.

He was my friend. 

And suddenly I was back in Drivers Ed. on Monday morning… and there I am sitting by myself at our table.  It made me feel horrible – like I was completely alone in the world.  Then… the teacher announced that to “honor” Mark, his seat would stay empty the rest of the year.  And there I sat.

I know what it means to lose someone close to us, way too young.  The big problem is that all together too many of us have that experience.  And we never learn how to deal with it.  We get better.  But it will happen again, and if you have a good soul, it will hurt you just as much.  That is what it means to be human.

And… there is NO “too young”.

For me, this was made much worse.  For the rest of the year, I sat by myself… front, center table.  No-one wanted to talk to me.  Mark was MY friend.  What do you mean YOU will honor him?  You barely knew his name…  thanks Mr. S.