Over It

Today my son had to deal with something so insensitive that it breaks my heart.  Apparently at lunch counseling came up and he admitted that he sees a counselor.  Students who don't know us asked why.  He told them that his dad died.  There was a student there who knows our family and our story.  Someone who has watched us walk the past 8 months out.  That student said, "you aren't over that yet?"  He then followed up with, "my dog died and I am over it."  My son said he started to cry.  Not open sobs but tears in his eyes that he held back with all of his might.  Praise God for the sensitive friends around him that responded and spoke for him in that moment.  They responded with things like, "It was his dad, not a dog".  "I wouldn't be over it."  And then a simple, "I am sorry."  He was glad they spoke for him.  He said their expressions were way more powerful than their words.  I am thankful for them.  They gave him the moments he needed to compose himself and press on.  That is what we do, compose ourselves and press on.  My children will never be over it.  They will get awards and wish their father was there to see.  They will succeed in sports and wish their father was on the sideline.  They will graduate and wish their father was there.  They will one day marry and wish their father was there to meet the love of their lives.  They  will have children and cry that their father will never meet them.  They will wonder what kind of grandfather he would have been.  They will send their kids to school on grandparents day and remember the void.  They will never get over it.  They will learn to live with it but that is not the same.  I am glad he shared this moment with me.  I am thankful that we talk.  I am glad we can pray and ask for God to walk with us.  I am glad we can pray and extend forgiveness to the offender who just doesn't understand.  We can pray that people will be sensitive to us and we learn to realize that everyone is on a journey.  We can be sensitive to others.