Tears of Sadness

Last week I received a call from a client who wanted to take a trip with her mother. She had suddenly lost her father and they were both devastated. They were hoping that some time away together would help since they both were having a difficult time with their emotions.

While I was finalizing the arrangements I had the opportunity to talk with the mother, Linda on the phone. As soon as the call began she apologized for crying and said she has a hard time not crying, it’s all to big too take in. I prayed to know what to say that would help her. My heart went out to her as you could hear the sadness in her sweet voice.

My answer to prayer was to take time to listen, let her pour out her heart and let the tears flow. She told me that she had been married for 41 years and that her husband had never had a sick day in all that time. He was a hard worker and one day didn’t feel well. After a few tests it was discovered that he had a very advanced stage of cancer and he was alive for only one month after that day.

The trip she was arranging was one that her and her husband had planned to take someday and she didn’t know if she should even be going. She said it was hard to explain about always being on the verge of tears and feeling like you have no control over your emotions. I told her I knew exactly how she feels and that it’s okay to cry.

I was able to share a bit of my story and she asked, “How do you survive?” It was then I was blessed with the opportunity to tell her about my faith and share what I like to call Brock’s verse, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Thank you Lord for the time to listen and share with Linda. Thank you for the comfort You always give and the opportunities that we have to share that same comfort with others. Even in the tears of sadness, You Lord bring a ray of hope.