Mourning Virginia Tech

I thought it was just the weather; we'd had four straight days of rain.

But when I read Kat Duffey's poem late that evening, I realized I was also mourning the loss of life in Virginia.

When we suffer trauma or loss, in order to heal, we need to share our story, or bear witness, of that loss.

My profound thanks to Kat for writing and sharing her poem "the moment". For in doing so, she has given voice to our own stories of loss. And as we mourn together, we too shall be comforted.

the moment

for Virginia Tech…for 9-11

what is this part of us
that yearns
to “mourn with those that mourn?”

that aches to touch the
pain
of so many
so far away
whom we do not know?

it stretches forth
from us –
a silken thread of
connection
weaving a cloth of sympathy
to help absorb the tears
of those who were
closer
than
we.

we stand back –
we dry our empathy –
we draw a sigh of relief…
“there but for the grace…” we say –
feeling safe.
feeling spared.

for the moment.