Parakalein

I am grieving this morning. It is an incredible loss when anyone dies especially a child.  In a way it is beyond words.

In all languages of earth there are words for a a parent who dies leaving a child an orphan.  Or a spouse that dies leaving a widow.  There is no word in any language for a child who dies.  It is so unthinkable, unnatural, unacceptable that societies and cultures refuse to give it a word.  Sadness fills all hearts as we hear of the unimaginable.  "a child dies".

Children seem to understand better and simply wan to honor the loss and hold on to good memories.

Adults have deeper questions.  Whose fault was it?  How did the car accident happen? Where was God?

Oh for a child's simple trust that he is in a better place and the only concern is how we all go on, how we honor that space that he once lived in, and will we try to cover it up by filling the space rather that just honoring the vacancy.

Truly any answer to the adult questions do not change anything regardless.  In fact attempting to answer them probably just adds to the grief and loss that this family lives in.

While death takes people from us, we keep a space in our hearts.  We honor and remember in a special way with a special place in our hearts.

God's heart of compassion is wide open to receive all who mourn.  And transform all mourning into gladness as we remember good things about the person who is gone form this world but lives on in the next.