Reverence

I was at church last week and during Sunday School I watched a dear friend of mine who had just gotten diagnosed with cancer just 2 weeks prior. Not a lot of people knew of her situation, but I did.  I had a flash back as I watched her glazed over expression through the whole class. I wanted to go over and put my arm around her and tell her everything is going to be ok, but the room was full and I was on the other side. I remember people telling me that everything would be ok, and I would just looked at them and smiled. I thought to myself ....maybe it will be fine, but who knows how long that will take or what I will have to go through first? All these questions and thoughts ran through my head as I watched her. I could still remember vividly sitting in her exact position just over a year ago. It is weird when something tragic happens in your life. It is hard to explain, but it is like your whole world has stopped... but yet you still are living in a world that is still going on. You are numb and yet you still function, you are heartbroken and scared and yet you still have to make decisions, go places and keep certain schedules, yes it is a weird and hard to place to explain. Now seeing it from the outside in , it feel as it if there should be a reverence for that place, space and actions that are going on around that person. I remember wondering how other people could possibly be smiling and talking and functioning, when my world seemed to be crashing down all around me? Yes, I felt a reverence for this dear friend.

I looked up the word reverence and here is what it said...

rev⋅er⋅ence

–noun

1.
a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration.

2.
the outward manifestation of this feeling: to pay reverence.

3.
a gesture indicative of deep respect; an obeisance, bow, or curtsy.

To me it could all be summoned up in one word RESPECT, may we try a little harder to RESPECT the situation that these dear friends are going through, RESPECT their grief, RESPECT their fears and concerns, RESPECT their need for more comfort and support. Yes, it is hard to stop and remember to be respectful for those around us who are hurting in so many ways. There is a whole lot of pain and fear in the world, could we try to help comfort and respect those who are going through it?  That is my hope! Good night dear friends.

Please don't forget to look outside of yourself, your schedules, your day... to see how life is treating those around you.