I had the opportunity to preach on Palm Sunday this year the Smithshire and Kirkwood UMC’s, with a sermon titled, “The End…Or The Beginning Of The End.” Little did I know the parallels of that title and the events that unfolded in front of our eyes this week. It could be why I am having trouble sleeping tonight.

My wife and I, as well as a family and community were forced to tell a wife, a mother, a teacher and a friend “Good Bye” this week. Through the events of this week I got to know Tracey Williams, the teacher, much better than I knew her before. Previously knowing her from stories my wife told me then through the friendship of our youngest with her son, I grew to know her much better than I had. Through the events of this week, I now have to ponder what the world will be like without this lady who has inspired so many to stay positive through the difficult times.

My wife and Tracey had grown up together since Kindergarten, inseparable very similar to my youngests relationship now with her son. Tracey and my wife also had a common bond through an illness, breast cancer. My wife was very fortunate that ours was diagnosed in the very early stages so, she didn’t have to endure the battle that Tracey ended up fighting. Tracey fought hard and kept her spirits up through her fight and was in the process of defeating the cancer when a heart attack got her.

With the culmination of events this week, it leaves me to ponder on this late Saturday night/early Sunday morning the reason for Tracey’s demise. After all she was a very successful teacher in the district, even attending the high school where she taught, was the advisor to many different student organizations and was even the head of the English Department. Tracey knew what she wanted to do with her professional life even from her time as a high school Senior, where she wrote an essay about it as a Senior project.

So why does it have me so upset? It is simple. We lost a good friend, the other teachers lost a great colleague, and her husband lost a great wife. The community has lost one of its stars, whom is now looking down on us smiling, without pain and without suffering. The reality of it is that how easy life can change in an instant. One day she was in school, receiving a hug from my nephew as he was leaving class, encouraging her for the rest of her day, to just a memory and a hole in our hearts. The hole has eased but it is still a dull ache, the aching coming from the thought of what her family must be feeling at this time.

What scares me is the thought that I could be in her husbands shoes. We never know from day to day what life is going to throw at us, yet we must be prepared at all times for the worst. That was the wonder of “Willy”, a pet name that they had for Tracey. She took life head on and didn’t back down, taking the cancer on and was in the process of winning that battle too. She inspired her students, this being proven to me by the support they gave her while she was going through cancer treatments and from the obvious heartbreak and shock that they were suffering from after word of her death.

Tracey, I sit here pondering the future without you and think about what you may be doing. Maybe visiting with Mrs. Willhardt about your mutual experiences in the hallowed halls of MHS and MRHS. Just remember Tracey that even though you left us way too soon that your life story is one that will help motivate others, including myself, to continue living our lives to the fullest and to enjoy every moment that God gives us on this earth. We Love You Willy!