Some people

In each of our lives there are some people who make a bigger impact, who enter our lives at a time that is just right. They are the people who touch a part of your heart in a way that doesn't happen often. And because of this, those people stay with you forever, are woven into your life in a significant and lasting way.

Today, and for the past few weeks, I've been reminded of how my high school softball coach and PE teacher is one of those people for me. As I have witnessed from afar his struggle with an aggressive form of cancer and now am mourning his death, I have been reminded of how some people have this amazing ability to bring peace and happiness to others' lives.

You see, Coach Cook was a high school coach of girls' varsity softball, JV basketball, and briefly JV volleyball, a PE teacher, and ran detention. He had the patience, love, and clarity to see past adolescent angst into the soul of each of his students. In doing so he found a way to nurture all of us in such a profound way. He was both strong and gentle, challenging and supportive. Winning wasn't important; respect, grace, discernment were.

It is truly amazing the number of lives he so positively affected. His family used a caring bridge page to keep everyone updated on his health, and along with this, came a guestbook. Thousands of people wrote into that guestbook and his facebook wall. Thousands of people touched by this great man. He will be greatly and deeply missed.