Suggested Tools For Dealing With Ugly Circumstances

Within the last few months it seems that everybody that I know has had or is in the midst of personally tragic circumstances.

At present our family has experienced forced early retirement coinciding with a loss of health insurance during a life-threatening scare, a suicide of an immediate family member, a suicide of a former boss, good neighbors having to move out of their homes and the list goes on.

I do have to say that on the other side of these events, the family has been more kind towards each other. We're less likely to be quick to anger. We embrace longer. Hold each others hand harder and we've been telling each other that we love each other much more.

Everyone faces difficult times. It just seems to me that we're all experiencing these trying events at the same time. The last time that I can recall this type of ugliness on this scale was in the 1970s. However I don't recall it being as bad. Perhaps our parents shielded us from a lot of the unpleasantness.

That brought me to thinking. What tools did our parents give us to deal with tragic circumstances? (What are our kids learning from us as we deal with these situations now? )

Fortunately for us, our parents had the family involved in a wonderful church community which provided us with the ability to pray together, learn together and sing together during the bad times and the good.

The other day when I was feeling down I broke out an old church hymnal and began to play those old songs. What comfort did those songs bring and how medicinal it was hearing those melodies and lyrics.

Whatever tools people are equipped with to get through challenging times, it is my hope that we don't isolate ourselves when things go bad. Call the neighbor across the street for coffee, get involved with a loving church community who will not only empathize with you but will pray for you.

When life brings us to our knees, what will be our response? Our kids are watching.