I really appreciated Brother Larry coming to talk to us on Monday about how to deal with emergencies and death. My friend passed away in the summer and I was not quite sure what to do after feeling the initial state of shock. It is tragic to see someone with as much potential as her die due to sickness. I still remember talking to her of the possible career paths we want to pursue. The first thing I was thinking after shock was, ‘what was the exact cause of death?’ I realize now that the specifics is not as important as remembering the person when he or she was alive. I will remember my friend for being the kind, graceful, and driven person that she was and am thankful for how she changed me.
It is difficult to process how someone you saw a few days ago would no longer be around. I cannot imagine the heartbreak her close friends and family are going through, and I want to help and understand how people deal with death. As we talked about during our Monday evening discussion, being the calm, unwavering rock, being present can be so important.
As Rev. Rebecca W. Dolch shared in her sermon “Talking About Death” in August: “Death is normal, God is in charge, talk about death, use humor, grieve, celebrate life at the time of death, kindness is the greatest gift, and God works in ways that seem impossible. Bear witness to this truth.”