It's Not Right

Since I heard the news at 4pm on Friday, nothing about this weekend seems right. Nor should it.

A few doors down the street and far too close to home, a neighbor lost their son to a tragic car accident. This one is not easy to remedy in one’s mind. Unable to explain it away by alcohol or texting or reckless driving, an icy patch of road cut down the life of a brilliant twenty year-old student and two of his friends less than one mile into a 2,200 mile journey. You see, they were on their way to compete in the National Ultimate Frisbee Championship. How more altruistically good spirited can a mission be?

There is nothing about this that is right……nothing. The void he left will never be filled. And it will be most noticed with an empty chair and a table full of aching hearts at each holiday dinner……from the next to eternity. Or at the “he would have been” celebrations of his birthday……. from the next to eternity.

My heart bleeds for his parents. Children are supposed to bury their parents…not the other way around. It is not how life is supposed to work. Not the lives of Jim or Julia or James. In fact, not the lives of any parent or their offspring.

God Bless you James. God Bless your parents.