Practical Inspiration: Sometimes, Life Hurts

Life’s never fair; sometimes, the injustice is outrageous.

I spent yesterday afternoon at a funeral for a 34 year old girl. Who had done everything right. Who had shown the right attitude, the right ethic, and the right approach to life. Who was welcoming, warm, and loving. Who supported friends and advocated for the good guys. Who left people with a smile… and who, in these regards, was just like everyone else in her family, because for as long as I’ve known them, they’ve each been able to be described in these terms.

There were no family feuds, no dark secrets, no embezzled funds, no unspoken resentments. None of that. Nothing to adulterate the family’s grief, or dull the pain of their loss. Her passing solves no small problem nor releases anyone from some small burden.

Like many, many others in the community, there is a piece within me that was shattered by the news. Flat out shattered. People like her don’t die young. Parents like hers don’t lose children. They just… don’t.

I learned of her passing the same day I posted this. Please—if you haven’t yet, do what I suggest in that post and call someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Do something nice for someone—not to get credit, but just to do it. Even if it’s as small as letting someone merge in front of you in traffic, or holding a door open, or buying the person behind you in line lunch randomly.

Whatever it is, do it.

If you can’t find the energy to do it for yourself, then do it for me. Because I’m watching my friend mourn the loss of his sister, and there is nothing I can do for him to bring her back. I can’t fix his problem, and it hurts to watch someone in pain and not to be able to help. It would make me feel better to know that you are out there, doing something to help another.

I’m not talking about a financial donation, by the way—I’m talking about doing something.

Life is too short, and too unfair, to take it for granted. Please, get out there…

and do.