Sorrowful Hearts

This past Thursday morning my son sent me a text that read "Come get me now". As he sat down in his first period class, noticing the vacant seat beside him, his teacher announced to the class that their fellow student passed away the night before. He was River's best friend. He was only 14.

This once bright eyed, smiling, full of jokes and laughter boy had taken his own life. The reason is still unknown (that we know of) and the posts on facebook from other friends and family suggest they are just as staggered.

When I picked River up from school, my heart hit the floor as I saw him walking toward me. The look of pain and confusion on his face was more than I could bare. I felt like crying but I knew I needed to be strong for him. I just needed to get him home.

As a mother we want to protect our children and keep them from harms way. We teach them to look both ways before crossing the street, to not run with scissors, to stay away from drugs, to not drink and drive. We also want our kids happy and healthy. We give them love and support, we nurture them and encourage them to become strong independent people. But these things do not promise to keep them from hurting, from being sick, or from dying.

As I watch my son deal with the loss of his friend, I am reminded of how much we take for granted. We have no guarantees and once life here is over, there is no going back. It so absolute. I am also remided that through times like these, we need to turn to God even more to help get us through.

So, for a boy who's heart was so full of sorrow that he chose to end his pain, for a mother who's heart has broken for her loss of a child, and for my son who's heart is full of confusion and pain, I pray that God will be the ultimate healer of these hearts and cast his love, mercy, and comfort on them.