Tears

I learned that Jared – a child in my school that I have know for more than four years – had died on the night of Friday July 20, just as I was about to go to bed. As I lay on the bed that night I cried. The next morning as I visited with his family I was all tears. As a parent, I found myself projecting the family’s loss onto my situation. How would I deal with such a loss? The following Monday at school I went to his class saw an empty desk where he used to sit and his name on wall and tears filled my eyes. Every time his name has come up during our meetings or when visiting his family to plan for his burial I have found myself overcome with grief and fighting tears. That’s a lot of tears for me and it has surprised me and those around me. I don’t show my emotions easily.

But strangely crying has helped me sort out my emotions during this difficult period. It has helped me deal with emotions that I would ordinarily rather not deal with. And in a way I do not fully understand it has helped clarify my mind – helped me keep perspective.