Entry posted by Jean Valjean
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Many big things have happened to me in the past week. I got a perfect score in an infamous vocabulary test, got my bike back, and learned the name of a childhood favorite song. Yet, the event that has touched me the most is one that happened to someone else.
In one of my classes, the teacher was interrupted by a phone call before she could give a presentation illustrating a concept we had for homework. We waited as she talked on the phone.
"My dad just died. It was about that time," she said once she was done. There was a silence. "I think I'll go see him." She told an assistant to look after the class while she left. Once gone, the class began talking like nothing had happened, although a few people mentioned the recent occurrence. I remained silent, and prayed.
When it was time fore lunch and people were headed for lunch, I walked past the teacher as I went. "I'm sorry," was all I said. When I got to the lunch line, I was the hundredth person in line. I left, found a secluded space, and at length I cried.
Later as I biked home today, it rained harder than I have ever seen in my entire life.
I never cry at movies. Not even when a character dies. The fate of a fictional character doesn't mean much after a while. The last two times I cried were while watching Schindler's List and Titanic, which were based off of real stories. Never does a news story on a recent death move me, either. In the end, it's hard to relate to a statistic. The only time I ever cried over a world event, coincidentally, was when I remember those events to which today is the eight anniversary, as I did at 6:30 this morning when looking through the books in the school library.
When the grief of death touches the soul is when it comes somewhere personal. In some way, you have to be there. I was there when the teacher learned of her father's death. I was there last year when a classmate learned of his father's death. I cried then, too. It is then that death becomes real.
Someone asked me why I cry when I hear of the death of someone else's father. I gave a fancy answer, but the truth is, I don't know. Only can I say that it I feel I should care.
To those who have passed from this world, rest in peace.
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