One Coming, Two Gone

Today my son called to tell me his son will probably be born tomorrow. I am so looking forward to his next phone call! Every birth is exciting. They have thought so long about a good name for him, I can hardly wait to hear who is he. His nearly 3-year-old brother and nearly 5-year-old sister must be very excited by now.

And my son-in-love's grandfather died today. He was about 94 and had lived a long, healthy, loving life, so his death is not really tragic, just sad.
His family has decades of good memories for comfort.

On the other hand, my granddaughter's friend and classmate died too. He was about to graduate from high school, the track team captain, and had just finished a big race when he collapsed on the field. A nurse and the coach tried CPR, but he never came back. Possibly a heart defect they didn't know about. But that is tragic as well as sad. He will never become an engineer, never wear uncomfortable clothes to give away his daughter at his wedding, never have a grandchild. I don't have to know his family to feel sad for them. And my 18-year-old granddaughter, who has lost a second high school friend to unexpected death within a year or so, grieves.

Life is joyful and painful. I am so thankful that this is not all there is.