I wanted to be like her yet that changed as I got to know her. She had grit – not the tunnel vision kind but the intricate dance of when to push or to fold. How can I aspire to be as adept as that? She was exceptional but we never felt inadequate. Her work ethic was straightforward and firm to a certain degree. She leveled with the people she dealt with, listening to the subtleties of each sentence and knowing the response whether she needed to please or dispute. The meetings were essentially the same however each time, I spotted a new technique on dealing with people.

I can’t say that it was all cheery, you know you’re not doing your job well enough if everyone, I mean, everyone would adore you. But she made things happen. If she was moved by a person during an off-campus event she’d make her way through the crowd and a few weeks later, that person is 30+ km from Metro Manila, interacting with our smart, capable students.

I can’t completely map her complexities, she was the main character in a novel whose every dimension was so well thought of by the author. Every interaction felt like a case study on tact. Her humor was subtle, she said things that made me wonder if I was just praised or insulted. It was an odd delight to be on the receiving end. It meant that she knew what would make me laugh and what would make me think.

I heard the news today. I didn’t want to mourn as we do when life ends. I want to celebrate her. She was rare and it was serendipitous to meet her during her last few years. She had the wisdom of her generation and gave us the ability to unlock our own.

Thank you, Dr. Linda!