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INSPIRATION/LIFE/DEATH

When Life Changes Without Warning

A Reflection on Kindness and Loss

B.R. Shenoy
Dancing Elephants Press
3 min readJan 21, 2025

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Class of 2020 graduate
Photo by Christine von Raesfeld on Unsplash

“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.

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Dancing Elephants Press
Dancing Elephants Press

Published in Dancing Elephants Press

Let’s jump out of the box together. Supporting connection, positivity, joy, hope, caring for each other and the environment around us. New beginnings for this Universe and Humanity. Builds on providing emotional and mental support, welcome spirituality and open minds. Dance.

B.R. Shenoy
B.R. Shenoy

Written by B.R. Shenoy

Former Nomad/Expat on 3 Continents•Editor: The Shortform, Dancing Elephants Press, Good Vibes Club, & The Heritage Pub•MS Toxicology• BS Biochemistry•Mom of 2

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