Death. It can hit any person at any time. Young or old. Rich or poor. Single or married. Black or white. Male or Female. Tall or short. Fat or skinny. Stylish or plain. Christian or non-Christian.
Yesterday afternoon, a 21-year-old, engaged girl's time ran out. I was good friends with her when we were in middle school together. She had an aneurysm. When I found out, I was absolutely shocked. And I didn't really know how to react. I went on through the rest of the day as I normally would. I went to a football game with my husband, just as we always do on Friday nights. But as I went through the rest of the day, I was haunted. Haunted by the untimely death of my friend. Haunted by things I should have said or done differently. Haunted by the finality of death. Haunted that it could happen to me, or worse, my husband, at any moment. And as I laid down in bed last night, I began to cry. And I cried and I cried. I celebrate the life that my friend had. But I grieve for the life she had ahead of her that she will never experience. I grieve that she will never walk down that aisle with her sweetheart. I grieve that she will never experience the joy of holding and loving and kissing her baby for the first time. I grieve that she had to go this way, at this point in her life. I grieve for her fiance who is left here without her. I grieve for her family, her mother and father who should never have had to bury their own daughter. I grieve.
After this event, I look at everything with a new perspective. Since it happened, it's like every person that I come in contact with, my thought is, I might not ever see this person again. This person's clock could be ticking out fast. I want to be kinder and more friendly. But most importantly,I want to be more evangelistic. I know people who do not believe in God. I know people who have not become Christians. And I hurt as I think about the fact that they could go at ANY moment. And I am terrified of being held accountable for "never mentioning Him" to these people.
I pray for the fiance, family, and friends of this sweet girl. I pray that God will comfort them beyond measure, as only He can.
I pray that I can be more eternally minded. That I can focus on things that are truly important in the grand scheme of things. And that I never waste an opportunity that God gives me to love people, to help people, and to mention Him to people.
