I went to see my former teacher, Debbie Janzen, to learn she was retiring. It was there that I discovered my coach and mentor, Jordan Ortmeier (1991–2025)—someone who guided me toward both history and theatre—had passed away only hours earlier.
This convergence of endings shaped the heart of the play. The characters of Mr. Thompson, Ms. Hart, and the Grandfather are not replicas, but tributes—reflections of the people who teach us how to think, how to live, and how to endure loss. Writing this piece became a way of honoring them, and of examining how we carry those voices forward after time takes them from us. Time also claimed my friend, Caden Barnes (2004–2022), whose spirit lives on in the character of Sam—kind, steadfast, and a quiet guardian to those who felt sad or lost most of all a thespian at heart.
 
At its core, The Tapestry of Life is about acceptance—not resignation, but peace. It asks how we learn to move forward without abandoning the past, and whether we are truly living in the present or quietly waiting in memory. Time does not stop, but meaning remains in what we choose to remember and how we choose to live.