Late night thoughts

I believe the written word is powerful.

I have friends in my life who I only know through their written words. They are friends I have met online. Many of them have touched me deeply. As deeply as if I knew them "in person". In my heart, I do know them that way. I have received comfort, wisdom, advice, commiseration, and much more, through these friends.

Because of this, I don't feel strange when I grieve or rejoice with online friends who are going through joys and tribulations in their lives.

I preface this post with these words simply because I know this concept can sound strange to some. And that's okay. But I just needed you, my readers, to know this.

One of my dear online friends is grieving tonight. She lost her twin girls last week. She was almost 20 weeks pregnant with them. A few weeks earlier, they learned of some complications with the pregnancy and knew there would be some scary times ahead. But they (her and her family) still looked to the future, looked to the ways in which their girls would be cared for in hospital, looked to the ways in which their family would have to rely on outside support as they cared for two babies who would likely need extra care. And now, tonight, they grieve. Their two living daughters try to understand, through children's eyes, how something like this could happen. One of my online communities (the one this mother is part of) tries to comfort her with only our written words. We feel helpless. We grieve, too. We even cry. And we pray.

And, at the same time, in another one of my online communities (different women), one of them is expecting twin girls any day. Her pregnancy has been a typical twin pregnancy, difficult, tiring, bed rest towards the end, contractions on and off, trying to keep up with her 5 and 3 year old sons. She expects to give birth within a week or two. She will give birth to two healthy baby girls, God willing. And I will rejoice with her! I will anxiously wait for her announcement online. I will anxiously await pictures of her beautiful daughters.

And I will remember, at the same time, my other friend, who only got to hold her precious daughters for a brief moment before having to say good-bye.

My friend who has lost has done nothing to deserve this. And my friend who gains deserves every joy and happiness. I don't understand this life and how such pain and joy can co-exist. I pray for both of my friends. I pray for comfort and peace. I pray for patience in the final stages of pregnancy. I pray for God's hand to touch both. And he will. He always does.