Today the headmaster of College came into our German Class. While this might have been inspection if it was in high school, you know it's serious when the head of a college walks into a lesson. After exchanging some quick whispered words and a slip of paper with our German teacher, he went out of the room. We forgot all about it until the end of the lesson; when it's announced that unfortunately 'one of our students passed away last night'.
I sit there and hope to God it's not anyone I know, but somewhere deep inside there's this dread that I know that it will be. As the name is read out, "Rowena France. Did anyone in here know her?" I stare and look across at the other two girls from my highschool and we gasp and all we can say is "Oh, my God."
Close friends are most affected. Through the following hours, all I see are blank faces even of students who didn't know her at all. The atmosphere in the college is stifling, so weird. So young. Even anyone from our highschool year just doesn't know what to say - we were close as a year; it's great shock to everyone. Most of us who knew her are told to go home early to have time to remember her.
Messages on Facebook exchanged; condolences and respects paid. On my bus journey home I can see flowers and teddies lined up against the railings surrounding the river through the small town; and I know what they're for. People just carry on, but some of us know that one person's life doesn't.
Rumours have been flying about all day - she committed suicide, she had cancer, a tumor in her throat. The last seems to be the truth. Whatever the reason, my condolences go out to family and friends most affected and everyone who knew her. She was a wonderful person, beautiful and talented.
R.I.P Rowena J. France (14/10/10)
4 comments:
Most people don't give a thought to how fleeting life is until something like this happens. It's natural to carry on from day to day behaving as if you have all the time in the world to live, love, grow and achieve all you dream of.
And when you're forced to consciously acknowledge our mortality, it's easy to drop into cliché. "It comes to us all;" "we're all going the same way;" "no-one gets out alive;" "never put off until tomorrow what you can do today; "carpe diem;" etc; etc.
There's a kernel of truth in all of them, but it doesn't really help unless you can find the positive. Treasure the memories you have of Rowena, be glad you knew her, let yourself be sad for her unfulfilled promise, and resolve to do something different because of the - now more real - acceptance of your own mortality.
I am so shocked and saddened by what has happened. She was such a beautiful and talented girl, it's awful to see all the people that this has affected. I know that she will be missed by many people. College was an absolute nightmare on Friday, no one wants to see so many people upset and not have any idea what to do or say, it was a strange atmosphere. It really puts things into perspective, life is way too short, all the things I've been worried about seem completely irrelevant now, I feel ridiculous for even moaning about them! All I know is that the whole college needs to pull together now more than ever, we all need each other.
Rest in peace Rowena, you will never be forgotten.
I'm still partially in shock, my heart is with her friends and family, and I am so very sorry that she was so unhappy that she could do this.... <3 RIP Rowena
It's very unfortunate. :( Obviously this was written before I really knew what happened, so the how and what about her death are untrue. The truth is so much worse. I just wish for those who love her to have the time they need to grieve.
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