I still don't know if yesterday was a good day or a bad. The day started off mostly good. It was beautiful out and I had received news that one of my Youth Leaders had taken her daughter to Labor and Delivery to have her baby the night before. I was sick but not too bad, just a head cold. We got word that the daughter (I should point out that the daughter is nearly my age and is married) had not progressed even though her water had broken over 12 hour prior but that they were doing well.
Then we heard, after arriving at church, that the grandmother of one of my Youth had passed that morning. She had been sick with cancer for quite a long time and the family was told last week she would probably pass before the weekend was over. For once, it seems, the doctors were right, but not so much in a good way. I got to see the young lady who lost her grandmother but it was still to fresh for her to have really processed it. She has been going through grief for knowing but this was a new and stronger loss and so she was very raw with hurt when I got to see her. I figure I did a good job though. I didn't ask how she was. I knew the answer and I know I hate when people ask that when they know it isn't good. Actually I don't remember saying much at all. I said hi and gave her a side hug. I don't give many of those out unless someone initiates and almost never to a female but this seemed like a good time to break one of my rules.
Anyways, we had a board meeting, which I hate going to, after church and then I took two of the Youth to go see the family in delivery. The soon to be uncle and his girl friend. I was kind of hoping for screaming rage level of labor (since it was coming up on 24 hours) but she really wasn't in that. Why did I hope for that? Hey can you think of a better way to sell abstinence to a teen girl?
As they got closer to the 24 hour mark the Dr. decided they needed to do a c-section. Mother and baby came out fine and the baby boy was about the 5th most beautiful baby I've seen shortly after birth.
So the day basically started with a death and ended with a birth. I think overall it was a good day but I really wish we could have skipped the death and made it a knock out awesome day.
I have to tell the new grandma about the death soon because she has a good relationship with the teen that lost her grandma, but I don't want to break her new happy grandma bubble just yet. It was great seeing her when they brought the baby back into the room. She busted out into tears of joy like you couldn't imagine. I wonder if that is how it is in heaven when people get saved?
So what do you think? good day or bad day?
Monday, April 6, 2009
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5 comments:
Both. You were there for people to share their sorrow, and their joy.
Interesting (I think) Catholic tidbit of information. You know how Catholics celebrate feast days of saints? Well, a Saint's feast day is NOT his or her birthday, but the day they died. Death is like a new birth, and we celebrate that new birth on the anniversary of their deaths.
Yeah, we still cry when our loved ones die. That tidbit does not erase the sorrow for our loss. Still, I thought you might find it interesting.
I used to pride myself on sounding spiritual. I got over myself, and everyone else who tries to sound super spiritual. So, I'm a little nervous to say this: how good the day is, to me, would depend on whether or not the grandma was saved. If she got to eternal life, and this baby made his grand entrance, I'd say that's a flippin' sweet day.
Helen,
Thanks. I do think that we can celebrate the death of God's own but it is still a loss to us.
Jewda,
I might pride myself on sounding spiritual but honestly I try to avoid it. That said yes she was a Christian and so she is in heaven and awesomeness, but the real suck part is the teen girl hurting because she has lost her grandma. Still I think for me the day was slightly better overall.
You were simply there for that girl who lost her grandma, without a bunch of meaningless mumbo jumbo that would mean very little to her. And perhaps you made her day just a little bit less sucky. That's a good day in my book.
katdish,
I think one good thing of going through pain and loss is that we can learn from it how to better be a comforter if we pay attention to what helped us and what offended us. Try to do the things that helped and avoid the things that offended when around people who are grieving.
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