Fall 2009 - You're Not Alone
Dear Friends
It has been a year since I received one of those phone calls everyone dreads getting. Our phone rang early on a Saturday morning when my husband was out of the country and I was home alone. On the other end of the phone was someone I didn't know telling me that one of our closest friends had been killed the night before in a horrible plane crash.
I have heard that when your system receives a shock, time seems to switch into slow motion. That was true for me. While trying to breathe through my own grief, I had to figure out how to contact my husband and break the news to him. Since we were literally half a world apart, it was impossible to really hold and comfort one another. We each had to deal with the disbelief, the sadness, and the pain alone, as I imagine many people have to do.
Over the past year, I have watched our friend's widow and daughter deal with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, his birthday, and Father's Day all without their husband and father. So many times I thought to myself, "How do they get through this pain? How do they get out of bed each morning?" But somehow they did and continue to do so.
Every single one of us will have to deal with death and grieving at some point in our lives. No one is immune - it will touch all of our lives. The holidays are some of the worst days for those who are mourning. Some will have to mourn alone; others will have family members to help ease the pain. Maybe you know someone who needs a little extra attention this holiday season - someone who has recently lost a loved one. Or maybe you, yourself, are grieving the loss of someone you love.
May we all take the time to reach out to those who are hurting and let them know that even though they might feel alone, they really aren't. While this is a season of joy for most of us, we will experience more of it if we reach out to someone who is hurting, lonely, facing a life-changing illness, or just needs a little extra love. This holiday, I wish peace of mind, love, and comfort to all.
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