The Lakeview School Bus accident on February 19th, and the news that has unfolded since cannot be adequately put into words. Feelings contain so very many words. Everyone has their own unique combination of feelings in response to such an event, and everyone processes those feelings in their own way, and at their own pace in order to put them into a perspective they need to be able to continue with this thing we call living.
We have been on the periphery of one of the families involved for almost 13 years. Luke was born a day apart, was in Kindergarten, and was one of the three trolls (Burt, William, and Tom) in the Hobbit with them. Their family has reached out to us when we have been in need of prayer – as they have done for many, many families and individuals in their communities. In every town there seems to be a groups of families that seem to run in occasionally overlapping circles; attending the same type of family-fun events, participating in the same sport, etc. Through the sporadic connections there develops a camaraderie from living a similar lifestyle.
In a word: community.
hen tragic events [no matter how big or small] happen, regardless of whether you live in the same community, or personally know the families involved there are connections that exist that you end up thinking about. “They have children the same age as ours… “I work in the same profession… “They”re Christian… “We just saw them at the ball game… and the list of connections goes on.
You feel saddened. You pray. You want to help. You don”t know what you can do. You think. You question. And without thinking about it in depth, or without labeling your thoughts and actions as such, you experience all this out of love. Love such as the way the Apostle Paul describes in his letter to the Ephesians [chapter 4:1-3]
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.\r\n
These events in our communities present a time to come together [in person or in spirit] “bearing one another with love”.
These events also present a time to remind ourselves of some very basic things in life; that LIFE is so precious and can be so fragile. That we don”t know when “our time” will come. That paying attention to driving always matters. That its love that holds it all together. Unfortunately, these incidents happen every day (whether we notice them or not). Most of them don”t make national news, and most of them don”t make us shiver in cold sweat to the core of our being. Yet they happen every day, which is a reminder that every day is precious. Every day someone is grieving. Yet, every day there are friends, neighbors, family, and unexpected individuals that make themselves available to support those in sorrow.
As it has been said in many ways before, we may not be able to save the world, but we can at least help our little corner of it.