Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Jumping ship

Seriously, if I have to deal with any more death this year, I'm going to build a cabin in the woods somewhere, never to be seen or heard from again.

Heath Ledger died today of a possible drug overdose. None of us knew him personally (that I know of), but it adds to the tragedy that has been recurrent this month. About three weeks ago, my coworker's mother was found dead in her home. They still don't know the cause of death - though they suspect drug overdose - which has been hard for their family in the grieving process. It would be hard to move on with unknowns like that.

Last Wednesday I attended the memorial service of a friend of mine who was slain by her husband a little over two weeks ago. It's been hard dealing with this death because I know her family very well (I dated her younger brother in high school and grew up in the same ward as them) and knowing they were now missing a beloved sister, daughter, and mother compounded my own grief over her loss. Kristy was intelligent, beautiful, happy, and knew how to bring out the best in other people. She was one of the first people I visited when I moved to BYU after high school. I looked up to her and really hoped to be as good, outgoing, and happy as her some day.

One of the comforts I've had in this, and that I know her family has had as well as they deal with this trial, is that if any person could be spiritually prepared for something like this to happen, Kristy was.

I pray for her family daily, especially her two little boys, who are now without a mother or a father. It's heartbreaking, but she lived a good life and I know for a fact that there are thousands of people who have been touched by Kristy's presence in their lives.

It's been hard to understand the why's in these situations, particularly because they've all been such unnatural deaths, and there have been others, though more distanced from myself, but I've also learned a lot about the grieving process and what happens to us when we die. At Kristy's memorial, the focus was on living an exemplary life, like the one Kristy lived, and knowing that our life is not over when we die. We simply exit one room and enter another, equally or more full of loved ones and friends than the one we just left.

I'm so thankful for the Gospel and the knowledge I've been given in this life. I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation and the guides and examples we've been given to find our way back to our Heavenly Father. It's hard to lose a loved one, but it's comforting to know we will see them again. I'm so thankful for that.

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