A widow too soon

I work with college students and because there isn't too much of an age gap between me and them, over the years I've become very fond of some of them. Even years after they graduate, they remain in touch and update me on their lives.

I received an e-mail message last week from one of my former students, Sylvia. She seemed to be doing great and she and her husband were very happy. Well today, I received an e-mail message from university administration that her husband was killed in a flight training accident yesterday.

Sylvia is only about 23 years old and her husband was about a year older than her. Far too young to become a widow. I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through right now. My heart aches even thinking about it.

When I think about what I would do if I lost my husband, I get choked up. In fact, for some reason this past Saturday at the Elton John concert, something came over me and I said a prayer to God that he never let me live a day without Stephen. I don't think I could handle it.

But when I was 23, I never really thought about things like that. When you are 23, the world still has everything to offer and it seems as though you have a million years to share with that other person. Nothing else makes sense. Or should.