I have been so sad this past week, achingly sad for my friends -- Herman and Lisa and their other 3 children -- in losing their precious 2 yr. old angel, Vivian. I have grieved and I have cried until there are no tears left. And yet, my life goes on relatively unchanged.
Not so for them.
Their lives are forever altered by the events of a few horrible minutes.
Lisa has been posting on Vivian's Caring Bridge site, using it to journal her thoughts and feelings during these first few days of raw emotion and crushing defeat. Reading her courageous words and realizing just what lies before her humbles me beyond belief.
How can any mother endure such a loss?
At Vivian's funeral last Monday, they played the song, "Circle of Life" (from The Lion King) and it seemed so apropos.
With Vivian's passing comes the renewing of other lives.
By making the choice to donate her precious organs, Lisa and Herman have guaranteed that one or more other babies or young children will LIVE.
Somewhere -- during the same week when we were all fervently praying and waiting -- there were parents hovering over their own children's hospital beds, anxiously awaiting news of a miracle -- praying those same desperate prayers for mercy and intervention.
Sometimes the answer, inexplicably, is "No."
But sometimes when God says "No" to one prayer, He is actually saying "Yes" to several other prayers.
I'm sure this brings minimal comfort to Herman and Lisa at this time, but just knowing that Vivian's death was not in vain -- that somewhere, parents are rejoicing and praising God that their own child will live -- gives hope for the future.
It really is the Circle of Life.
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