Mid-month Mention: Bereavement Resources

My heart has been heavily burdened since the end of February. I have a good friend, L, who lost her son years ago when he was a child. She is such a compassionate and encouraging individual. At one point, when my young boys were getting to me, I ran away from home and drove to visit her overnight. We ate at a fine Mexican restaurant and chatted well into the night. Indeed, she talked me down from a ledge. I adore her!

The last Sunday in February, I received a text saying her 34-year-old daughter (and L's only remaining child) had died in a car accident. The daughter leaves behind 2 young sons. This is a catastrophic loss! I am speechless (not that any amount of words could help when the volume of pain is so great). Every prayer begins with L's name and a request for God to comfort where no comfort seems possible. This great loss, combined with the intensity in my personal situation with a wayward child, has brought discouragement and depression.

I was curious to see if there were any resources on-line for parents who have lost all their children. My friend is not in this camp alone. Indeed, several weeks back, there was a police chase nearby where a collision caused the deaths of two small children. I cannot fathom this dynamic of grief. One morning, this mother was dressing and kissing her two little ones and sending them off with their dad. The next, she was grieving the loss of both her children and worrying over their dad's injuries.

The best online options I could find with this specific dynamic was on a resource page offered by the University of Iowa. They provide a list of a dozen books on the loss of a child and a half dozen websites. They also mentioned the only resource I could find to reach and comfort parents who have experienced the loss of all their children. Alive Alone is a support page specifically for parents who have no remaining children.

Music can soothe my soul when I'm consumed with trouble. I found a brief list of songs for a grieving mother on The Teacher's Wife blog. Lately, I have been comforted by some songs by Leanna Crawford. I first encountered her song, "Still Waters," reflecting the comfort from the 23rd Psalm ("Write scripture on your heart for when you need it."). Last week, I discovered "Better Yet."  When I searched these links, I found her song, "Honest." It is my constant prayer, these days, that God will carry L and all who are in the throes of extreme loss. The Lord can give comfort that none of us can provide.