Someone close to me received a phone call today about a cousin in an eastern state killed during a home invasion. The man who died had several children, some in college.
What can we say to someone whose childhood playmate dies during an attempted robbery. A robbery that would probably have netted a few dollars at most?
There's no explanation at all for such senseless brutality. There's no way one can wrap their brain around something like this.
One may fumble for words to console, but words at times like this are inadequate.
My first reaction is to want to fix things, make everything better. But there is no better, no fixing things. When acts of depravity rupture our lives there's no template of past experience to help us make sense of them. They live in our consciousness, waiting for us to find someplace to put them. But there is no place for this kind of news. So it festers there until we find some kind of numb acceptance.
The only thing I can offer is support and love. And I believe that's all we can do when those in our circle, our friends and our loved ones, face challenges.
We embrace them in hopes that our presence will comfort in this time of pain.
The only thing I can offer is support and love. And I believe that's all we can do when those in our circle, our friends and our loved ones, face challenges.
We embrace them in hopes that our presence will comfort in this time of pain.
