On The Loss Of A Child

ON THE LOSS OF A CHILD

by HELEN STEINER RICE



THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NO WORDS HAVE
EVER BEEN INVENTED TO FIT... AND THERE IS SO
LITTLE I CAN SAY TO SOFTEN YOUR SORROW OR
LESSEN THE STABBING PAIN THAT FILLS YOUR
HEARTS TODAY, FOR YOUR LOSS IS SO KEEN AND
SO NEW AND SO DEEP THAT YOUR DAYS ARE MADE
UP OF NOTHING BUT"LOST-LONELINESS" AND
"HEART-HURT AT PRESENT, BUT IN THE MONTHS
AHEAD YOU WILL GAIN STRENGTH THAT WILL ENABLE
YOU TO REALIZE THAT LIFE STRETCHES INTO ETERNITY
AND IT NEVER ENDS, AND YOUR LITTLE ONE IS NOT DEAD,
SHE HAS ONLY GONE "BACK HOME TO GOD,"AND
SHE IS HOPPING ALONG GAILY ON THE TIP OF A
FLUFFY CLOUD AND SCAMPERING THROUGH FIELDS
OF ENJOYMENT WITH THE WIND IN HER HAIR AND
BLOWING BUBBLES OUT OF MOONBEAMS AND PLAYING
HIDE-AND-SEEK WITH THE STARS.



THIS DEEP EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL
EXPERIENCE THAT YOU ARE SHARING IS
ONE THAT WILL LINK YOU EVEN CLOSER
TOGETHER AS YOU GO THROUGH THE YEARS...
FOR TO SHARE HAPPINESS BRINGS JOY TO THE
HEART- BUT TO SHARE SORROW IS TREASURE
FOR THE SOUL, FOR LOVE IS A UNITY OF THE SOUL,
AND SORROW IS ONLY A CLOSER JOINING. AND IN
THIS TRAGEDY YOU WERE DRAWN A LITTLE CLOSER
TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER. AND WHILE YOUR
HEARTS HURT YOU NOW, YOU WILL FIND A NEWER
AND DEEPER BEAUTY OF "TOGETHERNESS" SINCE
THIS TRAGEDY CAME TO CLEAR YOUR VISION.
LIFE TAKES ON A DEEPER MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE
WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE THAT IS SHARED,
AND THIS TRUELY IS ANOTHER EVIDENCE OF THE
MYSTERY OF LIFE AND THE IMPENETRABLE GREATNESS
OF THE MASTER BUILDER WHOSE PLANS FOR OUR LIVES
ARE WITHOUT FLAWS, FOR HE SEES BEYOND THE
HORIZON OF TODAY INTO THE ETERNAL TOMORROW.



WE ARE ALL A PART OF GOD, AND GOD IS EVERYWHERE,
AND YOUR LITTLE ONE JUST DECIDED TO GO BACK
TO HEAVEN INSTEAD OF CONTINUING HER JOURNEY IN
A WORLD SO FULL OF RESTLESSNESS AND TURMOIL.
GOD IS AT THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF EVERYTHING,
AND THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND HIM... SO FIND COMFORT
IN THAT THOUGHT.





WHOEVER IS WISE
WILL REMEMBER THESE THINGS
AND WILL THINK ABOUT THE LOVE
OF THE LORD.



PSALM 107:43
NCV



TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS ARIGHT,
THAT WE MAY GAIN A HEART OF WISDOM.



PSALM 90:12
NIV



THE LORD LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON HUMANKIND
TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY WHO ARE WISE,
WHO SEEK AFTER GOD.



PSALM 14:2
NRSV



THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM;
A GOOD UNDERSTANDING HAVE ALL THOSE WHO DO
HIS COMMANDMENTS;
HIS PRAISE ENDURES FOREVER.



PSALM 111:10
NAS



I LIFT MY HANDS IN PRAYER BECAUSE OF
YOUR COMMANDMENTS, WHICH I LOVE.
I WILL REFLECT ON YOUR LAWS.



PSALM 119:48
GOD'S WORD



YET DAY BY DAY THE LORD ALSO POURS
OUT HIS STEADFAST LOVE UPON ME, AND
THROUGH THE NIGHT I SING HIS SONGS
AND PRAY TO GOD WHO GIVES ME LIFE.



PSALM 42:8
TLB



THE LORD SHOWS HIS TRUE LOVE EVERY DAY.
AT NIGHT I HAVE A SONG,
AND I PRAY TO MY LIVING GOD.



PSALM 42:8
NCV



O YOU WHO HEAR PRAYER,
TO YOU ALL MEN COME.



PSALM 65:2
NAS



PRAISE BE TO GOD,
WHO HAS NOT REJECTED MY PRAYER
OR WITHHELD HIS LOVE FROM ME!



PSALM 66:20
NIV