When you lose someone.

There are many whose lives are cut short, not from their own fault, but by forces beyond their control. So you may wonder what purpose their lives served when they were so short. For many, the purpose that was served was that they were present. The parent who loses a young child mourns that loss, relates to the child, loves the child, cherishes the memory of that child, caresses the vision of the child, and feels enormous compassion for the child. The child’s life ultimately deepens the perspective of the lives of those who feel that loss. That child’s life was not wasted. It was not truly lost but served as a radiant presence in some form for others to cherish.

Growth took place for the spirit of that child. The spirit grew through the love it was given. It may be that that spirit will again benefit from human life, but the spirit was never lost. The experience of life, human life, was not wasted. In the end, much was gained.

The sadness that is felt is a sadness of loss. It is a missing. You may say that missing is loving. That is of course true, but missing is still missing. Missing is still painful. Missing is still felt as a loss, but it is nevertheless a source of light. When you lose someone you feel close to, you must direct your energies toward what was beautiful, what was cherished. It is not a life wholly lost.