Reflecting on Sandy

It has been a week of hard things.  Today Glen and I attended the funeral of his cousin Linda.  Linda would have celebrated her 39th birthday on November 9th.  Would have except she had a stroke and languished for four days before leaving her grieving husband and four children ages 6 - 14.  When a young parent leaves a young family I can hardly stand it.  There is so much pain, so much grief, so much sadness.

Linda lived life well, so well. She left memories which will lift her little family up during this hard time.  Her mother, also Linda, is the youngest of Glen's father's sisters.  She told her other children in a gentle way that daughter Linda was truly the best of them all for she was so kind, so gentle, so sweet, so faithful, so giving.  But Aunt Linda's heart is broken and her grief palatable.  She looks at you with her beautiful ice blue Jensen eyes and states, "You are not supposed to have to bury your child."  It was heart breaking to watch a six year old son place a favorite stuffed animal in his mother's casket, a husband tell the love of his life goodbye, and have three beautiful girls look at you with tear filled eyes.  Thank goodness for the plan of salvation and prayers that lift and comfort those left behind.

So my heart grieves for one I have known, but also for those I don't know.  Those who are coping with the loss of loved ones and of the life they were living.  Sandy, you were big and you will be long remembered.  Today Linda's spouse talked how growing and living and succeeding are not about arriving without pains or bruises or tragedy, but about rising up and facing the hard stuff and really growing and succeeding.  People back East will be humbled but they will also feel the prayers and receive help and know that life is still good.

Last night my mother's heart was worried for two of my own.  My prayers were also for them.  Today my daughter had surgery and things went well.  She will now, after months of feeling so ill, feel better and better.  Today my son arrived safely home from Virginia to rejoin his little family after cancelled flights and a long drive through Sandy's rain bands to another airport.  I am always grateful for the little miracles that are life.