I spent Friday night at a friend’s home, playing games and having good conversation.
First of all, Jordan and I are both old souls, so it’s hard to find anyone to do this with who are younger than 75.
So to find a couple married just longer than we have been with three children to do this with is a small-time miracle.
As we started setting up the board game we were going to play, I reached over and took my friend’s son off his lap to hold.
I’ve never done that before.
People’s babies are theirs, and although I was just offering to help so his dad could set up the game, there was probably a little more than just “this is me being helpful” going on.
The little boy (maybe 9 months old) sat on my lap the rest of the night. Seriously. For several hours.
The boy died this morning.
He had several strokes in utero and was handicapped in a number of ways as a result.
But he liked stretching his back and neck muscles and waving at me. Sometimes he looked up at the ceiling like there was someone I couldn’t see who was entertaining him.
Holding him was a special experience.
I wonder though at my reaction to the news of his death. (Why do we use the euphemism “passing”? Why can’t we just call it what it is? “Death” already encompasses all the of nuance “passing” does and more.)
I was a little sad I wouldn’t get to hold him again, and I was sad for his parents. But I was honestly joyful for the boy.
I don’t know the state of the soul during infancy. I don’t know how much they comprehend, but I know he would have had a hard life. He would have ever been able to feed himself. He would never have been able to dress himself.
So a death is a very merciful end to his (short) mortal sojourn.
And mortality isn’t all there is. There is so much more, and death is just a step in progressing to become like God and Jesus.
It doesn’t have to be a sad event, except insomuch as you won’t have any more experiences with the person who died for a while. Maybe a long while.
But it’s a celebration for the person who died.
I’ll miss the little boy, but I’m so pleased for him. He’s able to act to his full capacity and he’ll be ready to serve and do more because of the blessings he received from being part of his family