When Tragedy Strikes

The Christmas meal is set. The wine is perfect, the beer chilled.

Family arrives with revelry and joyous anticipation for the evening ahead.

And in a heartbeat, a young lady loses her life in a car accident two minutes from home — on Christmas Day.

My heart goes out to my friend Dru and his friend Idalia for the loss of her sister.

I can’t fathom the fragility of life and the cruelty of fate. The dichotomy of emotions is unnerving and unsettling. While some complain about the presents, or lack thereof, others pace the hallways outside an ICU praying with hope, for life.

The beauty of life and the tragedy of unanticipated death must be the stark opposites of the emotion spectrum. Time to reach out and hug your loved ones close, and to say a silent prayer for those who are not as lucky.

Over the years I have learned that deep loss changes us. It really is a tough way to learn life’s lessons — unfortunately, there is no easy way. Count your blessings and reach out to those that need a shoulder, as they mourn the loss of those they loved, leaving a void that will be never filled.