It is natural, in our daily lives, to get wrapped up in the details. In the mundane issues and challenges and problems that are a normal part of life, and we sometimes forget to step back from that and remember what is truly important - our faith, our families, our health, and the thousands of blessings that we are given everyday that we take for granted.
I often think that if I were to just focus on the blessings in my life, and being thankful for those, I wouldn't have any time or energy to waste on all the nothings that I sometimes let occupy my head and heart. I wish I were better at living that way. I am trying.
Every once in awhile though, we run across someone who is truly suffering. Who has real pain, real trouble, real problems. When that happens, it causes the worthless, non-existant issues we have built up and given more than their fair share of our lives to evaporate. And when that cacophany of banal worries is lifted from us, we can see what really matters. It always makes me feel about this small when that happens, but I try to take the opportunity to embrace my blessings and let go of the worry and fear and anger I pick up along the way. That really is too heavy a load to carry.
This morning, I came across the story of this family that stopped me in my tracks. (also, the dad's story, here.) This is a family that is suffering a loss no family should have to endure, and although I don't know them from Adam, their pain has become my pain. I have grieved this morning for their loss, and struggled with them for understanding, and wept for the baby they'll never get to see grow up.
I am sharing this because although it breaks my heart, and will surely break yours, I believe we all need our hearts broken from time to time. To keep them soft and raw to the suffering of those around us, so that we can be compassionate, and sensitive, and grateful for what we have.
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
I love you all so very much. I'm off to squeeze my baby girl...
2 comments:
Oh my goodness!! Where did you run across this - I was just about to email you about this family. It's been breaking my heart all week since I found it. And doing what I do, I think about it what happened, what she was ill with, and the course of the (very fast) hospital stay was. It reminds me a lot of what I was telling you about this weekend. Give Hayden a hug from me, too.
I was on the blogger awards site, and started reading some blog that had a link to this family's site, and couldn't stop reading. Every time I was up last night, I was thinking of them, and every time I held Hayden, I thought of them. What a sweet, beautiful little baby girl she was! I am just aching for them!
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