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INSPIRATION/LIFE/DEATH
When Life Changes Without Warning
A Reflection on Kindness and Loss
“When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world.” — Harold S. Kushner
A friend’s dog passed away recently. It was a heartbreaking mistake with anesthesia during a routine surgery. Something so simple, so everyday, went tragically wrong. You can read that story here.
Hearing the news brought back memories of last year, when the principal at my daughter’s high school lost his 11-year-old son the same way. A simple procedure. One small error. Everything changed.
Just days before that tragedy, my daughter and I saw Mr. W at a little Italian restaurant. We were having dinner when he stopped by our table to say hello. He was warm and kind, as always. Exactly the way I’d seen him so many times over the years — steady, approachable, and genuinely interested in others.
When my daughter was in school, we saw Mr. W often. He taught a philosophy class that my daughter enjoyed, coached one of the sports teams, and served as her school vice principal and later principal. I volunteered regularly, attended parent meetings, and went to the seminars he hosted.