Thoughts on sorrow

I had a chirpy post about baking bread all cued up and ready to go. I will post it later but not today. Today I need to recognize sorrow. I had news yesterday that a young man, the son of a friend, completed suicide on Wednesday. I often try not to post when things look bleak. In this case I have only my words to honour both his life and the family’s grief. These are strange times when we cannot reach out and hug one another or give the briefest of touches when they are most needed. We cannot sit close to each other in silence. And so, today, as we approach the longest night of the year, give a few moments over to gentleness for yourself, for others, and for this weary old world that just keeps chugging along. The days will get longer. The light will return but in the meantime we must sit in the darkness and make peace with it as best we can.