On Friends: Gone, But Not Forgotten

I know that, in previous entries, I've mentioned how amazingly inept some of my students have proven to be. Far be it from me to present a bad picture of the breed of employees that my company hires. For every gene-pool reject that walks in (...and right out, if I have anything to do with it.) theres a handful of friendly, efficient and determined employees that contribute positively to our workforce. Even less than that, there is a pinch of true personality gems that make the entire training experience a joy. Rebecca G. was one of those rare few.

She was in one of the first classes that I had the pleasure of teaching, which makes my time with her and her peers that much more meaningful. I was in the process of acheiving an instructor certification (I co-facilitated the class with Katie, another Trainer.) when Rebecca joined us in class and I couldn't have asked for a better pupil. Her demeanor in class was cheerful and fun; Her performance was above standard and showed potential. By the time she had completed the course, I sent her out onto the production floor confident that she would excel. Her time with the company was a constant and steady relationship, I offered a kind smile and a bit of conversation if we happened to cross paths in the break area. She always replied with a smile of her own, even a few wild customer stories if she could afford the time. To my knowledge, Rebecca never displayed much of an interest in promoting up through the ranks of the company. She seemed complacent with her duties as a Customer Service Representative. Don't misunderstand me, she did a damned great job at what she did and I feel she displayed pride in her work. That's a professional ethic that seems non-existant in some people's mentality.

Today, while I was in the midst of training another batch of new-hires, my Manager stopped by the classroom to talk to me. She asked me to step out of the room so that we could attempt at some semblance of privacy. She told me that Rebecca had been in a car accident this last weekend; Her two children, which were with her in the vehicle, survived the wreck with minor injuries. Rebecca did not.

I'm going to miss Rebecca's smile and the kind words that we shared with one another. The news has left me drained more than I thought and mostly because my mind wanders to her children and how they must have felt while trapped within the wreckage in the company of their motionless mom. My heart goes out to those children and the impact that this experience will weave into their lives. I mourn the loss of a co-worker and a friend. I intend on paying my respects to her and her family this week, when they decide to host the viewing and the funeral.

God bless you and keep you, Rebecca.