# A Heavy Heart **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955 "2000-10-30T18:37:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/1 "2000-10-30T18:37:37Z")
Last night I found out that a person who had helped to shape my professional life had been killed. She and her husband had just retired from there professional lives and were moving down to Palm Springs California tpo live. She got out of her car in Utah and was hit by a vehicle and killed instantly. She will be missed by all that knew her and I would like to take a few minutes to explain what she meant to me. I went back to school about 10 years ago to get formal training in an area of interest to me, working with the disabled. As part of the program we had work experiences in a variety of community placements. One of them was in an elementary school, which filled me with fear because I hadn’t had much experience working with children . Sonia was the resource room teacher and we had an immediate rapport. I found out that I actually enjoyed working with her and I really enjoyed working with children. It was such a good experience that she was one of my references. I also had exposure to her outside the work place. I am a member of the local arts board and she was on the board when I joined. She left to board in order to devote more time to her passion, which was making stained-glass pieces. She also supported the theatre group I belonged to and we always talked after she attended the performances. I know that I have only given you the barest outline of her influence on me, but I felt compelled to write this because her passing has shown me again that we have a limited time on this planet and we should make the most of it because we will never know when it will be over. Take Care Keith ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/2 "2000-10-30T19:06:33Z")
Keith, I empahthize with you. I lost two of my “mentors” this summer. One was a brilliant archaeologist, taken well before her time by cancer. The other was a Wampanoag elder who taught a lot of us how to respect the sacred. These people touched our lives, helped make us the people we are today. Through that, we now carry part of them with us so that we may impart their wisdom to others. Carry that thought with you; it helps. ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/3 "2000-10-30T19:14:23Z")
Thank you for sharing, Keith. You reminded me of how beautiful people can be. I was once quite suicidal, but nowadays I am glad to be alive most of the time, and it’s because of the people in the world that I get to see everyday and how much most people have to offer. I don’t think you intended to brighten anyone’s day by sharing that, but you did. Thank you and carry on… ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/4 "2000-10-30T19:22:21Z")
Keith, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I can’t say it better than Rasa though: You’ll always have what your mentor gave you, as well as what _you_ gave _her_. ---
**Author:** ![Kiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/5 "2000-10-30T19:48:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*we have a limited time on this planet and we should make the most of it because we will never know when it will be over. \*\* Words to live by! I’m so sorry for your loss, Keith. ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/6 "2000-10-31T00:22:33Z")
Sorry to hear that Odie ☹ Hope you’re ok. Rose ---
**Author:** ![Angkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Angkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angkins)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/7 "2000-10-31T00:29:31Z")
{{{{{Keith}}}}} I am so sorry to hear of your loss ☹ If there is anything I can do for you, or just to talk, you know I am no farther away than your email. Ang ---
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/8 "2000-10-31T00:40:15Z")
Keith, I’m sorry to hear about what happened. Like beautiful flowers, the best ones are always picked first…or at least that’s what my grandmother says. ((((hugs)))) ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/9 "2000-10-31T02:19:37Z")
Dear Odieman- What a sad thing for you, and for all of the people who loved your friend. Some people change their world, and it sounds like she was one of those people. (((((((((Odieman)))))))) Scotti ---
**Author:** ![dpr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dpr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpr)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/10 "2000-10-31T02:26:46Z")
Sorry to hear it Keith {{{{odie}}}} She lives on through you though. ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/11 "2000-10-31T02:34:03Z")
Keith, your friend and mentor sounds like a wonderful person and what a blessing to have known her the way you did! ‘Balcony People’ are so rare, and precious that the world is a dimmer place without them. I’m glad that you had the opportunity that you did, so that you both had one another. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/12 "2000-10-31T05:55:11Z")
I am certain that your mentor instilled you with wonderful job skills, qualities, and a great work ethic. Practicing those every day is the greatest tribute you can pay to her. ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/13 "2000-10-31T07:57:34Z")
I’m very sorry, **Odieman**. It’s always a shame when someone who touches us is gone too soon. ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/14 "2000-10-31T14:07:34Z")
(((Odie)))) ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/15 "2000-10-31T14:14:17Z")
Odieman, I am sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/16 "2000-10-31T19:08:55Z")
(((Keith))) I am deeply sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![KimKatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@KimKatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KimKatt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-heavy-heart/38955/17 "2000-10-31T19:13:42Z")
{{{{{{Odieman}}}}}}