Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Not Only Mine

I wonder, is it only me? No, it's really not.

2016 has taken so many that we love.

We've mourned music greats from David Bowie, to Prince, to Glen Frey, among others. And actors from Alan Rickman to Abe Vigoda (for real this time!). And other beloved figures like Nancy Reagan, Harper Lee, Pat Conroy, and more.

Point being, it's been a year of national mourning. But not just in the public arena either.

Many of my friends have lost beloved pets. Missing our furry friends is heart-breaking. They fill a 'comforter' role in our lives that other things just can't fill.

But this is the thing:

To date, including myself, there are 11 women in my life that have lost our fathers this year.

Let that sink in, would you?

E.L.E.V.E.N.

Simple math, y'all. It's averaging one beloved daddy a month. Women from all stages of my life: elementary school, high school, college, blogging. And every time I open my computer, or answer the phone to hear of another one, my heart breaks all over again. For them, certainly, but for my other friends and also myself, all over again.

That's not counting the moms that have gone, darn it. Or the men that I know that have lost beloved parents.

If you've lost someone close to you, I am so so sorry. 2016 has been hard on you, too. Like I said yesterday, It's just such a heavy burden to bear. But please know that you are not alone. There are others out here that are bearing that burden, too, and would love to talk about it. We're going through the same things. Reach out when you need to. Pray. God knows how heavy this is.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" Matthew 5:4

It isn't just some mystical comfort that magically comes down from the clouds. God sends us people! Others that are going through just what we are can be such a comfort. One of my friends from high school lost her father not long after mine. I reached out to her privately and we have begun a months long conversation about this grieving process that ebbs and flows. In September we had a good cry over the beginning of the NFL season. Girls crying over football? Yup. We both would call and text our dads on Bronco's game days and their death leaves a 16+ week gap in our year of connecting with our dads.

God sent her to me because she knew EXACTLY how I would feel, when few others would. That is how God comforts the mourning.

Would you let Him comfort you? Cry out to Him. He understands and will send you what you need.

Edited to add: 12. 12 daddies. I just can't. But He can.

2 comments:

kyooty said...

We lost my MIL this year. So very hard and with the Holidays coming it's going to be even harder. She loved Christmas. It was her favorite time of year, she loved to shop for Christmas. I am missing many phone calls about just what my boys would like this year and she wouldn't have called for another 2wks but still I know I'm missing those calls.:(

Debby@Just Breathe said...

My prayers go out to everyone who lost a loved one this year. ((Hugs))