Grief

Over the last few days I’ve been reading the facebook post of friends who attend the same church I do. They, sisters Shelley, Karen and Corrine, have been sharing their grief as they mourn their father’s death, memories of a wonderful and honorable father, and gratitude toward friends and family for the love and support shown to them at this time. As I read about Karen’s overwhelming sense of sadness and loss I found myself breaking down. Breaking down to see someone I call friend going through such heartache. Breaking down because I took a few minutes to put myself in her place. Breaking down because I see what lies around the corner as my own parents age.

We’ve known since childhood that more than likely we’d have to deal with the death of our parents. Sometimes you can see it coming, and sometimes it’s a total shock. But, I don’t think it matters, either way it is devastating. Especially when your dad is as a loving, giving and compassionate man like mine, and like George Saunders was to his famiy and community. Faith that lets us believe that he’s now in a better place and that one day his friends and family who share that faith will see him again is what allows his family to deal with the grief.

Tomorrow, I will go to celebrate the life of one of my parent’s friends, my friends’ father, and the grandfather of kids I used to babysit. He was a fellow church member and a man I had great respect for. Rest in peace George David Saunders.