By David Coy
Sunrise
Life was hard; it was a struggle to provide, forcing the family to move to an unfamiliar area that they believed would provide better opportunities. After moving, the husband died, leaving a mother to raise her two sons alone. Sometime later the sons married, and the family enjoyed peace and prosperity for approximately 10 years. Then, the two sons died. Sometimes sorrow comes in what we perceive as overwhelming and unimaginable bundles of misery. The former wife and mother felt God had dealt her a cruel blow with her current reality. She blamed God for her now bitter existence, taking first her husband and then her two sons. This sentiment is expressed frequently by those who are mourning. Was she blaming God for taking her loved ones so she did not have to face the reality surrounding their death? She decided to move back to her hometown. Her daughters-in-law said that they wanted to go with her. She strongly discouraged them. Our loneliness can become a self-inflicting punishment in grief. It may have been with this individual. As a result she was pushing away those who were in a position to console and support her in her sorrow.
She also may have been displaying a lack of self worth in doing so. Fortunately, one daughter-in-law remained with her and would later help her to regain her self esteem and value as one who still has much to contribute in life. Is this not the lessons all of us can take away from the life of Naomi in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament? God is not to be blamed every time for taking our loved ones, though it may be correctly said he received them. Support from others is a blessing. I hope to see you in grief support group that you may give and receive support this next month.
