Tonight, I wrote five sympathy cards to friends who have lost a loved one recently.

Three of these were within the same family, and they had personally lost 3 family members among them.

And this is just after losing a son/nephew last year and a few more members the year before.

Another couple has lost their brother, cousin, nephew, great grandmother and a distant relative, all within just months of each other.

Yes. Those are each one, a different person, and relationship with said friends.

A third family lost their son, just over thirty years of age. He lived in the Midwest, and they had to take a plane to get to him.

My husband and I received an added message tonight from an old friend who sorely misses his wife who died several years ago. He just wants to see her again.

My family is also in this list of losses, as my own grandmother passed just weeks ago.

If I only looked at all these losses, my heart would be overwhelmed.

If I only looked at the tears, the weight inside would be unbearable.

Grief is hard.

Grief is exhausting.

Grief can be all consuming.

It’s what we do with it that makes the difference.

For me and for you.

A father, close to my age, lost two sons in a boating accident a short 11 years ago, and he shares his grief publicly to encourage others.

A wife shares her story of losing her law enforcement husband to his life in duty, and she gives others support, telling them they can and will survive.

A grandmother describes the last few years of her disabled mother’s life in desire to bring joy to others hearing how her mom always said, “I love you” with a smile to most anyone she met.

Grief is all around us.

If you don’t see it, it’s simply because your eyes are blinded.

If you don’t feel it, you may be oblivious or just plain self consumed.

I’m begging you to open your eyes.

I’m pleading with you to say a prayer.

I’m imploring you to look around and reach beyond self indulgences.

And grasp the hand of those bereaved, lost, or confused.

You never know whose life you might save,

Simply by giving a ray of hope in their dreary world.

Be the joy.

Be the peace.

Be the hope they desperately need.

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:4