The Day a Stranger Died

I heard about her through an email today which was tucked into the large pile of helpline tickets, emails, phone calls, and meetings. I just glanced at the subject line: "The Clinic has lost a valued employee." I didn't think much of it - probably it was some old man or woman who died peacefully in his or her bed after having since retired from the clinic years past. It was nice of the Clinic to remind us of those past workers, and to know that their stories wrapped up so nicely. I was going to just delete the message - after all I didn't know the person. I didn't really care to know the person. His or her story would not be one to effect my life.

I decided I would open it, of nothing else but because I have a side fascination with death. I thought I could get a little story about one's life, and reflect on it for a bit. Could be a good stress relief - being reminded that no matter how overwhelming and crazy life can get (work especially) that one day we all die. So I decided to read it. The email was not for an old man or woman at all. It was about a young woman.

I was a little shocked as I read through the article and clicked on the link to the obituary. Her name was Melinda (or something like that). She has been working in the same building as me for the past six years. Everyone liked her, she brightened everyone's day. She had a good education, helped out others, and came from a good family. She was young too at 34. Her cause of death? A brain tumor that was discovered a few months ago. Hard to believe, but within that short amount of time she had been diagnosed, she lost everything. And everything lost her.

I can't imagine what that must be like. To one day be successful, happy, and planning out the rest of your life, and the next to realize you only have a short time to live. People shouldn't have to go through this. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her family to hang on with her through it. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her to go through it. And then to get progressively worse until the end? I know i'd be very scared if that were happening to me. I'd try to act tough for a while. I'd try to deny it. I'd probably try to laugh about it or look on the brighter side of at least knowing how much time I had left to plan accordingly. But in the end, I know i'd be scared.

I never saw her in the hall, I never talked to her, I never even heard her name before I saw she had passed. I decided, since I did work the helpline, I would at least get a small idea of what she had been through working in the same building as me. Our helpline has a system to look up calls placed by name. I put in her name. Not thinking I'd see much - I did see that I talked to her once. Back in August - back before she had known anything. I have a good memory with people I've met. I did remember talking to her and how nice she was to work with. It's just, how in the short while I've been working there the fact that she went from being young and healthy to the point of having passed on... Life is just too damn short and precious.

I wonder how common these stories will be as I get older? How many ways will I see people go, and how should I feel about it? I can't change what happens. I can't really stop it or make it better. I just have to sit and reflect on it. Maybe little by little learn to appreciate what I have. Today I learned a stranger died, and it really made me think.