Minister’s Musings
by
Rev. Julie Lombard
Years ago, a young mother took her life by standing in front of a truck on Interstate 95 in Lincoln, ME. What deeply saddened me was that she was holding her 2 year old son when she was hit. Enoch, the toddler, survived and recovered in a hospital in Bangor, ME.
Their story truly rocked me to my core. These two souls were not alone in life; they were part of a family. Enoch has an older brother and a father. There are grandparents, aunts and uncles, and many friends that were left brokenhearted. We understand that Enoch’s mother died and she was no longer suffering from the depression she struggled with, but how can we comprehend a toddler healing in his body cast.
When does gratitude begin? It starts immediately. Gratitude was found in Enoch surviving, in the first responders being a nurse, an EMT, and an ambulance that just happen to be driving by. I find gratitude in Enoch’s family being so kind towards the innocent driver that hit them and to all those who have helped since. This family’s outpouring of love lives on.
Gratitude is no cure all for suffering. It cannot stop a mother from taking her life, yet it did bring some comfort to her family. They can be thankful that only one life was lost that day. The family praised the kindness and generosity that came after the accident. They were grateful for their faith which they leaned on. It’s said that Enoch’s healing also healed the hearts of his family. Their faith gave them the gift of gratitude to look for what hope they might find in a terrible situation. They didn’t have all the answers or knew when to tell the boys that their mother died, but they did have a purpose in life- to care for Enoch and to give thanks for his survival.
The holiday season invites us to take inventory of our gratitude. These days, I find comfort in the simplest of gifts- for my family’s health, for the warmth of a home, and being in a loving church community that is so caring and thoughtful. I am most grateful for this precious life and for the lives that share the universe with me. Sadness and suffering are inescapable, but gratitude can bring relief.
Peace, Rev. Julie