One of my 7th grade students is having a bad year. Her father has inoperable, stage 4 esophageal cancer. He is not yet 50 years old but unless a miracle happens, it is unlikely he will see his daughter graduate from junior high school. The sad thing for us was that we didn't know about this. She started missing school, not doing her work or doing it poorly, and we just thought she was being lazy. We asked the office to find out what was going on and they did... they found out that dad was sick. Period. End of story. Then I saw him. I about flipped. He has lost about 50 pounds; I over-heard him talking to a volunteer bus driver, saying "They got it too late." A bit more probing and I had the full story. Chemo is hopefully shrinking the tumor so it can be removed. Cancer is evil! Dylan Thomas seems to fit today:
Do not go gentle into that good night
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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