The wind has taken you. You're free finally at peace.

Like any new mom, I often find myself thinking ahead to life's big events, and imagine how they will turn out for Addison. Lately all I've been thinking of is school. Two years from now, will she be ready? Will she be confident in knowing her shapes, colours, and alphabet? Will she hold my hand in trepidation, unsure of what's to come? Will she run through the door, barely saying goodbye? Will she make friends easily? Will she love her teacher like I loved mine?

My kindergarten teacher helped shape my life. I was ready for school, excited for something new, and even requested homework. Mrs. C saw that in me, and encouraged my love of learning. She gave all of her students one-on-one time and was able to find that difficult balance between teaching the fundamentals, and having fun. She made every student feel like they were the only one in the room. She was always smiling and never lost her cool. You'd never know that behind closed doors she was a struggling single mom of four, just starting her new career.

She encouraged us to ask questions and talk about our families and friends. We shared stories of our weekend outings and brought our newest toys in to show off in Show and Tell. She got to know and love each and every one of us. My parents loved her in return, as did I. They immediately saw the impact she had on her students. She brought introverted young ones out of their shell and showed us the importance of school. Being smart and loving school was not a bad thing. She set us on the right track for grade one and onward.

Though she and my parents had kept in touch for years, they had lost touch recently. When we ran into her at the grocery store this Summer, she recognized us all instantly. She met my daughter and started rhyming off silly stories from back when I was young. It was so good to see her smiling and in good spirits, but I was not ready for her to tell us she had been diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer. She never smoked a day in her life, and lived a healthy, active lifestyle.

Mrs. C. passed away on September 10 at 61 years old. Goodbye, my friend. We'll never forget you.