Grace in Grief

It’s been a while since I’ve posted and that is because our world has been rocked. A very dear friend lost her daughter last month. She is grief stricken. Her daughter was 28 and they were very close. Together they had survived both the father’s desertion and the son’s murder. Our friend is devastated –as any mother who has buried two children would be. Peter and I have been dealing with our own grief while trying to support our friend.

In all this, I learned something amazing about homeschooling. It gives grace during grief. For example, with a little rearranging I can be available to sit with my friend during the day. She doesn’t want to be alone and many of her other friends can’t come until after work. In addition, I can offer the comfort of my children. My friend is a teacher and loves children. Her children were the light of her life. So, sometimes we take our children over and the sparkle that they carry seems to rub off on her. When she cries they don’t mind. They just go over and hug her.

Looking back over the last month, I realize that we haven’t fallen that far behind. I have cancelled some days and compacted others. But we are still on track. School has stretched and bent to meet our needs instead of limiting us. And I hope the children have learned useful life lessons about grief and compassion.

I thank God for the gift of homeschooling during grief.