A small but heartfelt tribute

From the 1997 Yearbook

Last Monday, I opened my computer to whip up my weekly post, and happened upon a tweet that completely stopped me in my tracks.  It was a tribute to a great man that had passed away suddenly the day before, named Jim Myles.  I read and re-read this post, first to try and convince myself that I must be mistaken, and then to try and process the information.  It is now a week later, and I am still trying to work my way through it. 

Those who knew Mr. Myles need no explanation as to why his passing has such an effect. My Facebook feed, for instance, has been full of tributes, remembrances, and personal narratives about the impact that Jim Myles had on people's lives. These same sentiments were also shared on a larger scale, making their way to local news, such as the following CBC article.  

For those who have never met Mr. Myles, let me paint just a brief picture.  Part of the reason he was such an important part of so many individuals' lives was his position as a teacher at Fredericton High School, and the ways he went above and beyond to fulfill this role. He was a completely stellar biology teacher - the kind that makes his students excited to learn and push themselves, and feel part of something larger (as evidenced by the above full page his Biology 121 class all chipped in to have documented in our grade 12 yearbook).  More than that, however, he also took on massive, MASSIVE musical productions every year, making sure anyone and everyone who wanted to be involved got a chance to be on stage.  He also led (sometimes multiple) yearly school trips to wonderful and sometimes exotic places, giving students the opportunity to gain experiences they would never otherwise dream of. 

Perhaps most importantly, however, he had a true talent for seeing the potential and the goodness in people, and making individuals feel important.  This was no small feat, especially in a highschool that was, at the time, the largest in the British Commonwealth.  It had over 3000 students for just 3 grade levels, meaning that it was very, very easy to just disappear in the crowds.  If you were lucky enough to be on on Mr. Myles' radar, however, you were suddenly somebody, and this was perhaps one of the greatest gifts he was able to bestow.  

Being now in a position to see all this through the eyes and experience of a 30-something-year-old, I realize that the reason Mr. Myles had such a huge impact on people's lives was primarily through the force of his personality.  I cannot fathom having the energy to do all that he did, and with such enthusiasm (while raising four strapping boys of his own, mind you).  He was, hands down, the most charming, charismatic person I have ever encountered.  He had seemingly boundless energy, and a million simultaneous projects and ideas on the go. This was just as true last week as it was when I was in highschool.  It is perhaps this, more than anything, that is making it so difficult for me to accept his passing - how such an immensely strong, vibrant life force could so suddenly and unfathomably be extinguished. 

Though it sounds trite and cliché, I cannot help but take solace in the fact that, though there are countless people currently grieving the loss of someone so special, the good that Jim Myles was able to do for individuals (and the community) over the decades will live on.  I will certainly never forget they ways in which my life was shaped for the better by having him in it.