Ion Cojocaru

Ion Cojocaru was a music and arts teacher in my lyceum T.L. "Stefan cel Mare si Sfint", village Taraclia, district Causeni. He studied at the College of Education "V. Lupu", in Orhei. He became a teacher at the age of 18, in the village Taraclia. During his lifetime he defended the dignity of Taraclia as it became his home. He did his military service during 1971-1973 in Alma-Ata, Khazahstan. In 1985-1990 he made his superior studies at the Pedagogical University "Aleco Russo", in Balti, faculty of musical pedagogy. In 1989 for his exceptional work in musical area he was honored by "The Eminent of Public Education of Republic of Moldova" award.

During his teaching years he formed and led few assemblies, with whom he participated at a lot of events in our district, but also on a national level. His accordion was always beside him, as a good old friend. He had a good sense of humor and was always up to every single event in the lyceum, and in our community as well. He built here a home, a family, a legacy. He has a wonderful wife, who is also a teacher, with whom he spent a lot of amazing days and years. Also he has four sons, of whom he was very proud. As he said himself: "For happiness we need only two things: a love and a vocation, but both of them to be real" and he had both of them. He was honest, energetic and hardworking with an impeccable imagination. His love for music wasn't just a "work" thing, he actually had a gift for it. He is the author of the anthem of our lyceum. He was a man of art. He knew to how appreciate a talented person, and how to motivate those who wanted to give up on trying to accomplish something in this life. He was deeply loved and respected, not only by his students, but also by his co-workers. He was appreciated for his kind attitude, for his pedagogical tact and for his spirit of a innitate teacher.

Even if on November 16th 2015, there will be one year since he passed away, for me he is still alive at some point and that is thanks to his legacy. I truly feel sorry for those students who haven't the opportunity to spend a lesson with this amazing teacher or for those who haven't appreciated him when they had the chance. I'm proud to say that I knew him, that he was my teacher. During a lesson he was serious, but he always had few minutes for a joke or just for a funny story to share with us. And, in those moments when he was turning on some classic music for us, or played at his old piano...in those moments we could see his big love for music, for what he does.In those moments he was free.

He lived 67 years of a dream. He had good and bad times, there were moments when he was hurt I'm sure of that but it's just a small thing in the past, a thing that doesn't matter in a parallel with all those years of activity, of joy and of peace. His peace was in work, his happiness was in work...his freedom was in work too. It was a way to express himself, a way to show to the world that what's inside also matters. I'm truly fascinated by such an amazing destiny. Someone could say that 67 years is enough for human but I say he is gone too soon. Many still haven't understood him, and maybe never will; many just don't care but I'm really proud to say that even if I just tried to understand him, I for sure cared and still care. Can we ever fully understand a genius, which he was? I don't think so.That's why, for me he will remain an idea, an example of how you should love, live and feel. There's one thing that left him misunderstood in the eyes of some people, and that is the fact that people couldn't take his honesty as a fact. Most of them treated him wrong, and it's very sad because he deserved much more. But still he gained and accomplished a lot of things and in his last day I don't think he had any regrets except for the fact that he couldn't live much longer.

Is he a hero for me? Absolutely. My hero never wore a cape, he was playing the song of his life at his old piano, surrounded by students, friends and family! Rest In Peace, Ion Cojocaru. You're gone but not forgotten...