One Stray Tear
The delight lit my face as the couple turned the corner into the hallway where we stood in lively conversation. I threw my arms open wide, ignored the cell phones plastered to their ears, greeted each of them, first the husband then the wife who followed slightly behind him.
Oblivious, I missed the pained expression on his face as we exchanged hugs. As we separated, I watched a stray tear leak out of the corner of his eye. He kept walking as I shifted my attention to his wife.
"He just found out that his sister passed away," she said in a hushed voice. "I'm so sorry," I replied, stunned into silence. I glanced across the way in time to see the man lean his forehead against the far wall. "I think we're going to go," she added. "I totally understand," I mumbled, at complete loss for words. "I'm so sorry," I repeated. She moved on to comfort her man. Having yet to lose a parent or sibling I felt rather foolish.
Later, questions ran rapid-fire through my brain. Why does the issue of death give us such pause? Do we avoid it so much that we never learn to cope when it faces us? Would it make any difference anyway? Do we not know how to empathize with the pain of another? Do we not care enough or do we care enough yet lack the tools or the skill or the experience to better support in times of need? Or perhaps no answer will ever suffice in such matters of the heart and only time can fill that gaping, jagged, ugly void that scratches the recesses of the soul.
I thought about the mother that loses a child to disease, the soldier that leaves his life on the battlefield, the accidents that part us from loved ones, that savage beast called anger that erupts in violent ways with little regard for the victim until it's too late. Always one constant-suffering, different for each of us yet endured by all, large and small, young and old, weak and strong, with no more discrimination than a roaring wind or a blazing heat, sometimes coming in gusts, sometimes beating on us without reprieve, relentless.
Then it fades. The magic of human resiliency creeps in unannounced and goes to work, a flickering smile, the first laugh, a deep shoulder shrug that sheds an albatross of sorrow, a blue sky that actually gets noticed, a dog lick that incites a momentary grin, a cookie that brings back a measure of sweetness that doesn't instantly disappear, a memory that opens the door for joy to sneak back in and sit a while.
Maybe we'll never figure it out. Maybe there's nothing to figure. Maybe it's hard to speak permanent goodbyes and harder still to accept them. Maybe the tragedy makes way for real love, a bliss born in the contrast of anguish. Maybe the tears wash away grief, one salty drop after another. Maybe we're not supposed to know, just feel. Maybe?
Sun will come up tomorrow-bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow?
That's A View From The Ridge...
About The Author
Author Ridgely Goldsborough invites you to subscribe to The Daily Column, a heart-felt collection of stories that inspire hope and courage. Please do so at www.aviewfromtheridge.com.
 Google News Updated : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:25:37 GMT Thai Protest Stops Trains and Planes - New York Times
New York Times - By THOMAS FULLER BANGKOK - Protesters in Thailand ratcheted up their campaign to oust the government on Friday, broadening their occupation to stop trains and block provincial airports, as well as waging an unsuccessful attack on police headquarters ... Thai rioters attack police station UPDATE 8-Thai protests hit police HQ, disrupt airports Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:31:31 GMT Microsoft to Buy Greenfield, Adding European Web Shopping Site - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Phil Serafino and Dina Bass Aug. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., seeking to catch Google Inc. in the Internet-search market, agreed to buy Greenfield Online Inc. for $486 million to add Web sites that help consumers find product reviews and ... Survey Says ... Microsoft Is a Smart Shopper Microsoft to buy price comparison website Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:24:21 GMT Detroit mayor's political future back in court - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - DETROIT (AP) - A lawyer for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick asked a judge Friday to freeze next week's hearing that could remove him from office, accusing Gov. Judge to decide Tuesday on mayor's bid to halt ouster Hearing under way on suit against Granholm Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:06:32 GMT Mayor Melton Advises Public of West Nile Precautions - WLBT-TV WLBT-TV - When planning outdoor activities this Labor Day weekend, Jackson residents are encouraged to reduce their risk of contracting West Nile virus by protecting themselves from mosquito bites and removing sources of standing water near their homes. DELAWARE: West Nile virus appears later than usual West Nile victim's widow ponders his death Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:28:14 GMT Gustav on the Brink of Explosive Development - Washington Post
Washington Post - Over the past 48 hours Tropical Storm Gustav proved it was a survivor, as it withstood difficult journeys over Haiti and Jamaica. Now it may turn into a monster. Video: Gustav Set to Batter Cuba, Enter Gulf of Mexico Gustav threatens Caymans after swamping Jamaica Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:05:23 GMT Evacuations begin in Louisiana - Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle - By DANE SCHILLER Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle NEW ORLEANS - About 1000 disabled and elderly residents west of the city are being evacuated this afternoon and New Orleans officials are considering whether to order more people out of the projected ... Video: New Orleans Braces For Gustav Gulf Coast prepares as storm Gustav approaches Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:56:04 GMT In Lack of Health Insurance Coverage Texas Is First - eMaxHealth.com
eMaxHealth.com - Texas is at the top of the heap again - this time we are the most uninsured state, health care-wise, in the country. Oh wait, being without health insurance coverage is not a good thing, is it? Number of uninsured Americans drops Update2: Number Of Americans Without Health Insurance Drops Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:22:00 GMT Increased Website Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Not long after Arlyn died, my husband and I decided... Read More In my work as a coach and therapist, I have... Read More Earlier this month I learned a dear friend had been... Read More As a small business owner we have to deal with... Read More Reflect upon the following questions, and answer those you feel... Read More Anticipatory grief is the name given to the mix of... Read More I've always waited for the perfect moment to be happy:... Read More When the death of a loved one occurs, regardless or... Read More My nan was called Margaret and lived until the age... Read More Recently, the magazine I own and edit got a hate... Read More If you have ever lost someone dear to you it... Read More New Tears [about Grieving]If it rains or shinesLittle does it... Read More There is only one place where tragedy occurs, and that... Read More It felt like I had been run over by a... Read More I got an email recently from someone whose mother died.... Read More I believe that major change and loss in our lives... Read More Although many of us carry some form of emotional trauma... Read More I didn't know a heart could die before it stopped... Read More Life has always been a journey, a journey of finding... Read More Shortly after noon, I went into Arlyn's bedroom to get... Read More When a friend or loved one is grieving, it is... Read More I opened the dishtowel drawer for about the sixth time,... Read More I am an Angel artist and several weeks ago while... Read More WHAT I LEARNED FROM POPE JOHN PAUL II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am... Read More Julian Austin, Canadian country singer, released a song called Should... Read More
Adsense
websites
When Sorrow Is Too Great to Be Borne Alone, Support Groups Reach Out
Moving Beyond Grief and Loss
Is Death Really the End or the Window to A New Beginning?
How to Deal With A Death in the Family and Still Run Your Small Business
How to Deal with Suffering
How to Cope with Anticipatory Grief
Present Moment Awareness: Lessons From My Dog
Coping With A Funeral
How My Four Your Old Son Reacted To The Death Of His Great Nanny Biscuits
Tenderizing
Grief
New Tears [about Grievng--with commentary]
How Can I Transform Tragedy?
The Valley of Sorrow or My Life as a Well Digger
Death, Close and Personal
Graceful Grief: Angelic Help is on the Way!
Physiological Consequences of Carrying Emotional Trauma
Grief
Online Memorial ? A Dedication of Love for Your Departed Loved Ones
Signs After Suicide: The Red Butterfly
What is an Appropriate Sympathy Gift?
And You Always Will
Angel of Comfort... The Story
Pope John Paul II
How Long Does It Take to Mend a Broken Heart?
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How to Deal With A Death in the Family and Still Run Your Small Business
As a small business owner we have to deal with... Read More
Dying On the Inside: A Childs Grief
The impatient tooting of a car horn startled us into... Read More
GoodBye GrandMa
My dearest Grandma, I will never forget you & sorry... Read More
Whens Sarah Coming Home? Helping Your Child Understand Death
For most children, their first experience with grief comes with... Read More
Dying? Not Me! Why You Should Plan for Transition
Remember the Eulogy projects we had to write back in... Read More
Dealing With Tragedies (The 9/11 Tragedy)
September 11, 2001, marked yet another significant turning point in... Read More
Online Monument ? An Ever-lasting Tribute to Your Departed Loved Ones
Memories are never to be buried along with the loss... Read More
How To Heal Your Heart
We all experience severe heart break at some time in... Read More
Beyond A Mothers Nightmare To Radical Forgiveness
It was a moment I will never forget.On February 22,... Read More
Terminal Illness- Death and Grief
No one likes to think about illness and death, when... Read More
On Empathy
The Encyclopaedia Britannica (1999 edition) defines empathy as:"The ability to... Read More
How to Turn Grief into Joy
I was with my daddy when he died. Excuse me,... Read More
Tenderizing
Recently, the magazine I own and edit got a hate... Read More
Angel of Comfort... The Story
I am an Angel artist and several weeks ago while... Read More
Suicide - An Eternal Pain
Suicide is the one form of death that has quite... Read More
And You Always Will
I opened the dishtowel drawer for about the sixth time,... Read More
Pope John Paul II
WHAT I LEARNED FROM POPE JOHN PAUL II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am... Read More
Am I a Mother - Tips for Handling Mother?s Day After Miscarriage
Are you spending this Mother's Day wondering if you are,... Read More
Suicide in the Church, Part 3
Suicide strikes...AGAIN!This may wind up being the most important article... Read More
How Can I Transform Tragedy?
There is only one place where tragedy occurs, and that... Read More
Who has the Worst Pain
During the 28 years I have been interacting with bereaved... Read More
Death of a Parent: Saying Good-Bye to Mommy or Daddy
Coping with the death of a loved one is never... Read More
Guilty, Your Honor: The Burden of Guilt After a Suicide
Guilty, Your Honor, I whisper.Have you ever done anything so... Read More
A Critical Assessment of Euthanasia
The question of whether, say, a man should have the... Read More
What this Rabbi Learned from Not being Re-hired
It's a familiar story, and I have been through it... Read More
Dealing with Grief & Loss |