Last summer one of my coworkers passed away after battling cancer. I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Northcutt for one year. Her smile filled a room and she was a great balance of positive energy while still staying real. She cared deeply for her students, coworkers and family and her decisions always focused back to those groups of people. In the year since her passing, it has become even more evident that she left a huge impact on those around her. The memorials and activities in her memory show her lasting legacy.
One thing that she wanted was a Buddy Bench for the playground. This spring a Buddy Bench and a rock with her name were installed at the Dillon Playground. The morning of the dedication was rainy, but many people braved the weather to remember Mrs. Northcutt. One of my favorite stories from the dedication was one told by our principal. The bench and rock had been installed a week prior to the dedication and some students had started placing dandelions on the rock. At first a few teachers thought the students were being disrespectful, but soon we all realized that this was the way these students were paying respect to their former teacher.
I have heard many Life Coaches say you should write your own obituary. What do you want people to say? What do you want people to remember. These are the things we should be focusing on everyday. These are the things that really matter. Mrs. Northcutt was and is a great reminder that relationships are what matter. That is her legacy.
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