The Moments I Knew Them

I have been very blessed throughout my life to have outstanding teachers, excellent coaches, and many adult mentors that were really role models along the way. Recently, one of my favorite and most impressive teachers passed away. He was my band instructor in junior high. I had no idea I would be so upset about it. Maybe it's the hormones, but quite honestly, I think I was just really very sad. I'll probably be the same way with several others that will pass away as time goes on. I had so much to say, I had to write a letter to his wife, that I also knew...she was my private flute teacher for years.

Dear Mrs. Mac,

You probably haven't gotten anything from me in the mail since my wedding invitation almost nine years ago! But I wanted to take a moment and send you a card and letter with my sympathy. I was devastated when I heard that Mr. Mac had passed away.

There are certain people I just tend to think of in the moments I knew them...never aging or moving on...and I just couldn't believe the news. Music was such a huge part of my life and I'll never forget my two years at Palo Verde and the three band classes I fit into my schedule with Mr. Mac. I cherish the memories of our trips to California as well! On top of that, how could I ever forget coming over to your house every Monday night at 6:30pm for years for private flute lessons until the schedule just didn't allow it?

The skills both of you taught me are priceless. I continued to play the flute at church with the band and choir there, as a soloist, or with Mary Cornelius or Check Sedgewick. For years I played...until we moved overseas in 2004. I ache to pick up the flute still sometimes and have here and there. When our boys become a bit older and the opportunity arises, I'm sure I'll play again. And even though I only had one year of playing the saxaphone with Mr. Mac, I really liked it and may pick it up as a hobby some day too. Thank you for solidifying a love for music in me.

Now that I'm somewhat of a grown-up at 32 years of age and I have spent years in the classroom, I have gained an extra appreciation for many of the teachers and mentors and coaches I have had over the years. I now understand that the time I spent with them was time away from their own families, often at the end of full work days. Countless hours and endless weekends spent planning, carrying out, or wrapping up one event or another. For the two of you that meant rarely eating dinner together each weeknight or sometimes grabbing a bite here and there between the continuous line of students that would come to your front door. It meant mountains of paperwork for weekend trips to Knotts Berry Farm or Disneyland. It meant orchestrating holiday performances at various malls, group practices, and carpools to pull them off. As a teacher, with my own headaches after long days, I can only imagine what you both may have felt like with students circling around you hour after hour. Mr. Mac never seemed to lose his cool, always had a simple joke to share, and wore a smile on his face day in and day out.

I consider myself a lucky individual to have been able to learn from him and work with him. The same is true for you. How you two worked as a team amidst an unrelenting controlled chaos was amazing. You should be proud. Your children should be proud. You were role models to thousands. You were role models to me.

When I heard Mr. Mac had died, I found myself crying and then counting the hours until it was late enough in Arizona (we live in North Carolina now) to call my parents and give them the news. I was so upset. The world lost an amazing, one-of-a-kind human being when he died and I knew how special he was. I know how special you are and I wanted to share my feelings with you.

I wasn't able to go to his funeral, living so far away, but my mom was able to attend. She said Chuck played and the entire musical apsect of the service was outsanding. She said you were surrounded by so many people she decided to leave you alone. But my family sends you endless hugs and I just know Mr. Mac is hearing the most beautiful music up in Heaven.

All my love, Anna