the rainbow connection.

a couple of weeks back (i think it was june 1st), i blogged about how i felt life was mundane with nothing to look forward to. and mae commented it with a little story that, although inspiring, didn't do it for me. tonight did it for me.

tonight was the celebration of one extraordinary life, that of dr. sara solberg. she was a teacher, a colleague, a mentor, a musician, a singer, a photographer, a friend, a visionary. she saw beauty in anything, from a beautiful painting to, as one alumnus said, "an old, run-down factory with its smokestacks protruding from behind."

i'm so mad that i never had the opportunity to be her student. but i do remember mrs. wasmuth always telling me that dr. solberg needed some technical help for videos and whatnot. and i'd help her, trudgingly because i never had her as a teacher so the apprehension of meeting someone new didn't help. but she was so nice to me. and everyone was right. she didn't know the meaning of 'no'. and i wish i could apply that.

people always say 'if there's a will, there's a way.' i know that i give up fairly easily or i don't really put my heart into something i really want, just because ... idk. but dr. solberg always wanted a yes. she freaking even took a chemistry class IN MCNAIR! she watched copenhagen, the play, and she was so enthralled by it that she wanted to understand more. so she attended mr. stanton's class. now, mr. stanton's half her age but she totally acted like a really good student, asking questions and taking tests and whatnot.

hearing the stories from dr. solberg's family, friends, colleagues, and students really did something to me. if dr. solberg knew me better she probably wouldn't like me. why? well mr. delo put this in my yearbook, that i was still too into my shell and it was time that i got out. but i think dr. solberg would've been a great help for that. no, i was never an english guy, but i think she'd still appreciate me and help me. because she was that type of person.

at the end, her brother played and sung 'the rainbow connection', the song kermit sang to miss piggy. and dr. solberg was def a lover and a dreamer. she dreamt about what could be and went out of her way to make it reality.

i could just go on and on about how amazing this woman is, but i guess what i mean to say is that the world just lost one of its greatest minds. and i think it's fitting that she got the memorial that she did, because she really deserved it.

thank you, dr. solberg.