A Heartbeat's Length.......

Hi.


Whenever I hear the eerie shrill of an ambulance's siren scream through the air, I can't help but think of the lives that will change because of it.

Lives change in a heartbeat. Any time of year, under any circumstance it can be heartbreaking. During this time of year, when there is such a focus on family get-togethers, Christmas magic, and fun, that heartbreak is multiplied. When it involves a child, it's impossible to fathom the depths of the sorrow reached.

Growing up in a rural community you know everyone, attend school with everyone from miles around. This creates a great sense of extended family. People look out for and care for each other.

When tragedy strikes, the wagons circle, and the flow of love and support begins.


Such a tragedy struck my hometown this past week when the young son of a former schoolmate passed away.

The soul-eviscerating, heart-crushing grief that must strike when this happens is unfathomable. The question does not become, How does a person heal from this? The immediate question has to be, How do I keep breathing? How do I survive this? How do we survive this?

To the family, my heart aches for you, my heart breaks for you.


Although the gift of your son was given to you for but a heartbeat's length, his shine will remain with you in every heartbeat to come.



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Let's not take for granted that tomorrow is guaranteed, that we have all the time in the world to patch up relationships, straighten out misunderstandings, heal old wounds.

Say the 'I love you', the 'I forgive you' the 'I'm sorry', or just silently let crap go, if that's what you need to do.

The words left unsaid can often be the loudest and hardest to shake.


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With a certain family in mind, I'll leave you with this wish.....



May you, as the noise settles, and silence echoes where his voice once rang, find strength, find courage.
May you find your breath, a way to put one foot in front of the other, to fight the invincible cocooning urge.

May you, in time, once again find peace, and some semblance joy, for other littles need to feel you smile, even though you may feel like a liar.
May you see that they are learning from you what it means to grieve, how to survive the pain, how to walk through this fire.

May you lean on those who surround you, and know the rest of us carry you in our prayers.
May you, as time inevitably passes, when the edges of grief are less cutting, find that smiles come more readily than tears.



Until next time.......................