Rest in Peace, Theodore C. Baker

I went to the wake for Theodore C. Baker today, well it's yesterday now. He was one of my students, in the Interactive Media class that I taught this past spring, the class that I mentioned in some of my posts a few months ago--we even had a cool little class blog, Interactive Rams, which Ted contributed to in a major way, being the most computer savvy of the group. I learned a lot from him myself, and I am so sorry that he is gone, only 22 years old, just having graduated.

I remember when I was younger and the loss of a peer reminded you of your own mortality. Nowadays, I need no reminders, I know I've lived longer than I'm going to live, and the person I identify with is Ted's mother (his father passed away less than a year ago). Losing a student is a little bit, just a little bit mind you, but a little bit like losing a child. I wish there was some way to comfort her.

But there's no way to be philosophical about losing a child, the world is turned upside down when the young die and the old live on. I can only imagine what that must feel like. All the usual clichés come to mind about the tragedy of a life cut short, much too young, a life hardly begun.

All I can say is that I'm glad that I knew you, Ted, and I thank you for all that I learned from you. Your life had an impact, your life had meaning, your life will be remembered. I hope that you have found peace.