A Bad Day

I got up this morning and … everything seemed to go downhill from there.

• Even though PetSmart called last night to remind me that the dog had a haircut, I forgot to take her in.  I took the kids to school; then went into work.
• I parked in the parking lot at work and started walking in when I realized my car was to be serviced at the OTHER end of campus.  Walked back to my car, drove there; apologized for being late.  Had to trek across further to work.
• Even though I did a TON of work this weekend, more awaited me here.  Two pages of emails.  Need to staff classes for next semester; need to cancel classes with low enrollment.  Need to finish making up exams for later this week.  Need to GRADE GRADE GRADE!  Need to answer questions from students via face-to-face, email, voice mail concerning their remaining projects, future classes to take, status of their grade.  Need to be pleasant to them even though both of us are stressed out.

And then I got a phone call from my husband.  He said that a boy has died.  He was the son of my son’s math teacher – a teacher who has been very influential in my son’s life.  A teacher who has faith in my son’s ability and has pushed him to succeed.  And his oldest son has died from a drug overdose.  I thought, in last speaking to the teacher, that his son had kicked the drugs.  He was on his way back.  Evidently he had a relapse this weekend.  I  closed my office door and cried.

I’m so sad for that family.  My problems from earlier?  What problems? I barely know the teacher.  I didn’t know the son.  But I’m so sad for that family right now.

Keep everything in perspective as we face the stress of the end of the semester and the holiday season.