My sister Liz was a teacher,
and I was her first official student.
Yes-- my first day of 1st grade at
Crestwood Elementary School, Liz, a
recent high school graduate, who was preparing to head off
to college at
Eastern KY University, was the last minute substitute for Mrs. Coyle, my first
grade
teacher. You can imagine how
special I felt to have my big sister teaching us that day! But, at that
time Liz didn't plan on becoming
a teacher and so followed the course of a history major in college.
It was only later, when like many college
grads, she was trying to find work, that our dear family
friend Betsy Green suggested
she come to Florida, a place where there was a great demand for
teachers, and
where college grads were allowed to begin teaching jobs as long as they also
started
coursework to get their credential.
But, regardless of whether or not this became her career by
choice or
necessity, I believe that all who encountered Liz as a teacher would agree it
was
something she was well suited for and a career for which she excelled.
Perhaps one of the greatest
gifts God gives is the gift of helping others recognize and use their
gifts. Of the many moving tributes I have
read in reference to my sister's many years as a mentor
to young people, I
think one former student sums up the sentiment of many, with the statement,
"Thank you for showing me that I was worth something."
In my faith, I believe that
God feels we are all worth something.
But, most of us have times
when we feel we are less than something
good. At those times we need someone to
lift us,
believe in us and inspire us to embrace our worth. Liz was that person for many.
The effects of this kind of
God's work Liz did in her lifetime as an educator are exponential.
I am certain that each student, friend,
colleague and even stranger that she encouraged and
inspired was moved to do
the same for others they encountered along their life path and so on
and so on
and so on --- so that we begin to lose count of all the good that has spread
from
my dear sister.
I also believe that this
good continues on like a ripple in a pond that has no boundaries or
shore to contain its wake. This image of the
continuity of Liz's goodness brings great comfort
to me in my time of
grief. It also inspires me to reflect on
my own sphere influence and
encourages me to focus on building up others
whenever I can. It is not as hard as we
might
think. My sister was not perfect and
we don't need to be perfect in order to do what we can
with whatever tools and
gifts we have been given. We just need
to start today. We don't need
to help or
inspire everyone. I imagine that there
will be times we fail at this task because our
own self-interest blinds us to
those who need our kind words and encouragement. We just need
to lift up one person at a time
and hopefully like my dear sister, over the course of a life, we will
have made
some positive difference in this world that, like her, we will eventually
leave.
Life is short, and we do not have too much time to gladden the
hearts of those who travel
with us, so be quick to love and make haste to be
kind. --Henri-Frédéric Amiel
Delivered at Liz's Funeral - St. James Episcopal Church, Pewee
Valley, KY on 2/22/14
Liz (with me) - dressed for her High School Prom 1965
