Mr. Rose

The first day of 9th grade, my history teacher, Mr. Rose, had a quote written on the board when we walked in the room.

 

"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine." - 

He had a different quote on the board for every day thereafter, all the rest of which I've forgotten, but the quote from that first day of high school, I have always remembered.

Mr. Rose specifically called our attention to that quote and told us that today we were starting high school and that our worlds were changing forever, but that we would be just fine.

He was right.  I loved high school... not that it was the highlight of my life or anything, but I really had a great time in high school.  I loved Mr. Rose's history class, and he was right... although my world had changed forever, I was just fine.

 I do not remember all the history that Mr. Rose taught me, but without fail, EVERY major change in my life has the same phrase ringing in my ears...
"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."

 When I graduated high school, started college, finished college, studied abroad, started graduate school, moved, started jobs, ended relationships, through weddings, funerals, births... the same phrase, and Mr. Rose's assurance always comes to mind.

For me it is comforting to acknowledge that yes, it really is the end of the world as I've known it... but I am prepared, I am equipped for what is next, and I will be fine.

This is what I am trying to tell myself tonight as I treasure my last night in my little home in Rifle, with my wonderful husband.  We leave tomorrow to move me to Greeley for June and I will be living with a lovely couple, attending a whirlwind Orientation and Mobility class, I will be blindfolded much of the month and learning to use a white cane, and I will be living away from my husband.

It is the end of the world as I know it... and I do not feel fine, but I do have faith that I can do this.  The Lord measures my strength for each day, and is my comforter and my protector.  I do not want to do this... but I will be fine.

Mr. Rose, I am sorry I cannot still recite the 4 or 5 factors that caused WWI, but thank you for equipping me so well at such a young age with words that would serve me for life.