Q&A

I put in my Facebook, a status of ponderous this morning. And as the sun set over the city skyline, that could not be further from the truth. For today, I helped a friend bury his younger sister, and afterwards shared the joy of another friend in welcoming her 1st niece.

The LegalBeagle asked when I told him of this two conflicting events happening in my world in the span of one day: "Can't you have an ordinary boring life like the rest of us?" My reply is that I wished I could cos Lord knows how I cannot get a grip on the amount of empathy that flows from me.

I didn't have to be there for the first. I had already paid my respects. Yet, something in me felt compelled this morning as I woke up, to ring the church, get the priest to go by, and then taking time off myself to attend the cremation of a total stranger. Walking the round of respect, holding up his girlfriend as grief overcame her. Steeling my heart against the wails of a mother as she watched her child gets taken away (trust me on this one - you do not want this to happen, even to the worst of your enemies!). 

Why? Why did I get myself involved in such a close way? Brie is not exactly the closest of my friends. And the family are virtual strangers. Could it be that cos the saying for today on my never-ending calendar says that "Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness"?

And in the aftermath of death, comes the news of birth. A pretty lil girl, a first born, a child who is born to live out every dream that she can think up. Though not much was said on this news, I can picture the smiles on the grandparents' faces as I was there when this lil girl's cousin came into the world. 

I suppose this happens, every second, every minute, all around the world. Yet for it to take place, in the span of 12 hours, in my world - it goes beyond irony.

I asked Ben to give me perspective on it. Cos as I drove home, all I could think of was "Where's the balance?"  Two households in the valley has two empty beds tonight. One awaits the return of its owner and a newcomer to the family. The other will remain forever empty. Two sets of parents. One beaming at their child, the other sent off their child to eternity. Where is the fairness in life?

LB says it's just a day I need to get thru, without understanding why or needing perspective on it.

I would like to think that there is always a reason for things to happen, and that there's a lesson in it for me to become aware to, and learn from. Not to say I'm reaping from the sorrows of others, or stealing the joys of some. But for these two contrasting events to happen in my two bit wee small world on the same day ~ it's as close as the spirit smacking me on the back of my head.

Ben says I really shouldn't ask why, that it's all been pathed out. The stories are unfolding, one page at a time and that Brie's family is merely unfolding some very sad pages but not for long. And that we should all be grateful for all blessings.

To every thing there is a season, 

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; 

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; 

A time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; 

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; 

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; 

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; 

A time of war, and a time of peace.

I guess there is truth and wisdom in the perspectives of both LB and Ben: It's one of those things that have been written, but unseen to the human eye. And I can only take it as it is as try as I may, I may never understand the timing of things. It is not my place to ask why, what more demand for an answer to it. If anything else, it only goes to further prove that there is a God somewhere out there. And it is to HIS will, not ours that things happen.