Finding the Good

 Last week was full of wonderful things. I read a great book. I worked the election with great friends and sang off-key karaoke in a Waffle House afterward out of exhaustion. I had a wonderful manicure, I ate good food, and I played cards with friends and laughed a lot. I rounded out the week by helping with a Christmas project to benefit deployed military. It was truly a great week. Finding the positive was really easy last week.

Then, late Sunday night, my son called. He was obviously upset and my mom heart dropped. His brother had been killed in a senseless act of violence. My son and Hunter shared a dad. Taylor was 7 years old when Hunter was born and though they lived in separate houses, they grew up together. They shared stories, memories, and when you saw them standing together, it was obvious they were brothers. Although it was late, Taylor started the 6 hour drive home to be with his dad and extended family. My heart broke for Hunter's mom, dad, brothers, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends. This was going to be a truly horrible week.

The week got worse. My mom called Tuesday morning, sobbing and yelling into the phone. She had fallen in the yard and could not get up. I hustled my students to a nearby teacher's classroom and rushed to her house. Her hip was broken and an ambulance rushed her to the ER.

A hospital stay and surgery during the time of Covid. A funeral for a 20 year old with a big smile. How can there be anything positive in this horrible week of pain? There was. There always is.

Like most 20 year olds, Hunter did not have life insurance. However, in less than a week, friends, family, and complete strangers donated over $11,000 to pay for his funeral expenses. That is a huge blessing to this family. There is enough pain without having the added stress of trying to figure out how they will cover funeral expenses. If you gave, THANK YOU! If you didn't, it's okay. Please pray for the family. The funeral was not the end of their pain. The donations are a huge positive.

Yesterday, despite Covid, the church was packed. Mourners sat every other row. Many wore blue flannel to honor Hunter. The salvation message was preached and many present raised their hands when the preacher asked for those who had prayed the sinner's prayer of salvation to raise their hands. HUGE positive!

Hunter's mom sobbed through the service. My hearts broke for her and still does. During the service, his dad got up and walked across the sanctuary to where she sat to comfort her. Theirs was not a gentle parting of ways. Both are angry. Both are hurt. When he walked to her, he was showing that love overcomes all the hate. He was comforting the mother of his children. I was proud of him. Positive!

Will has had challenges over the last few years. I have avoided him. It is hard to see the man you loved not be who he should be. But this week, I saw the guy I knew long ago. He was there standing strong, mourning but standing strong. Positive!

I sat with a pew of Marines during the funeral. All decked out in their dress blues. They were there to show Taylor support. One and his wife had cooked Taylor dinner the night before. Two had spent hours in the garage letting Taylor vent and cry and vent some more late into the night. They exemplified that the military is a brotherhood. They have each other's backs always. Positive!

When I called my principal to tell him that my mom had fallen and that I needed to get to my mom. He didn't scold me for not putting students first or tell me I needed to complete paperwork. He asked what the address was. He was heading to help me help my mom. I LOVE that! I don't think I will ever be able to explain what that meant in that moment, but I was overwhelmed. His first thought was to come help. POSITIVE!

My mom's hip replacement surgery went well.  She was surrounded by prayers. Co-workers and friends reached out daily to ask what they could do to help us. Positive.

Don't get me wrong. It's been a horrible, terrible, gut wrenching week.  However, I just wanted to say that in all the pain and stress of everything, positive things happened. I believe life is normally like that. There are pockets of joy and love and hope mixed in with the bad. We just have to take a moment to appreciate that they are there. Those pockets are what makes it possible to survive all the rest.

Please overlook the rambling and lack of wit in this post. It's been a week. Thanks for being part of the good in my life and the world.