"The Great Sadness"

“The Great Sadness” 

Some of you may recognize this phrase from the book The Shack by William Paul Young. The novel is about a man whose young daughter is abducted and evidence is found in a remote shack in the Oregon wilderness that she may have been brutally murdered.  The main character identifies his despair and grief as “The Great Sadness.”

Most of us have experienced or will experience our own personal Great Sadness.  Some of us more then once.  Last night some of our community went to bed knowing the Great Sadness. The rest of us woke up to it this morning.  Yesterday, Laura, one of our young mothers died in a farm accident. The online news article states that she died after falling into a grain mixer.  She leaves behind a husband, three school age sons and a young daughter.  One cannot live in a small community like ours and not be touched by grief.

It is amazing that loss of this kind is not uncommon.  Every year at least one person dies unexpectedly in our area.  I am familiar with a gentleman who died working on farm equipment when the fork lift gave way.  A dear friend of my daughter died at age 13 in an automobile accident.   It is also a common sight to see old time farmers who have lost at least one finger or leg or young guys who are para- or quadriplegic because they fell off barns or other buildings. Cancer, respiratory ailments and heart disease are common too. These are diseases secondary to the farm life style from chemical fertilizers, breathing grain dust, obesity and smoking.  Families have huge medical bills as well as the responsibility of caring for sick or dying loved ones.  Fires also bring Great Sadness. At least one farm a year in our area burns beyond salvation.  People lose everything….livestock, their belongings and their home.  This Great Sadness is overwhelming.

Then comes the “Great Healing” (this is my phrase.)  It describes the coming together to help and support of the effected family.  A few weeks ago I attended a fund raiser, “Pennies for Pam.”  Pam is a woman from my church who is battling cancer.  I could not believe the outpouring of donations.  Hundreds of people attended.   Thousands of dollars were raised. I heard that a good portion of her medical bills will be paid.   These fund raisers are common in our area.  They come in the form of dinners, auctions, and bake sales.  I saw a poster recently for a snowmobile rally.  The group holds an annual snowmobile ride. Later in the evening the riders and others will gather for music, food and entertainment.  There will be a chance to win a 2011 snowmobile and other cash prizes.  This will benefit diabetes research in the memory of a boy who died several years ago in a snowmobile accident.

I can’t imagine the number of casseroles and dinners that are made for grieving and suffering families.  Other farmers step up and do chores, milking cows, moving hay and plowing snow. Businesses donate groceries and offer discounts on furniture and clothing.  Homes open up to those who are temporarily homeless.  Pastors make house calls any time of the day or night.   I’ve come to learn that many times those who are the helpers may not even know those they are helping.  Those who give aren’t personally familiar with those they are giving to.

As common as tragedy is, I still struggle with grief and I don’t completely understand how good comes of evil.  But as my faith grows, I recognize that God is good and all powerful.  I can see the how the “Great Healing" eases the “Great Sadness.”

Prayers and condolences go to Laura’s family.

Thank you to Jan Peters.  Jan helps edit all of my blogs but this one was especially difficult for me to write. I love you Mom.