A Time of Sorrow and Mourning

On Friday, July 31, I got a call from my mother informing me that my cousin's son, Cooper, died in a tragic car accident. It has been something that I cannot stop thinking about, or crying about. I feel so deeply for my cousins. I have been praying non-stop for them and their healing time. My Niece emailed me the blogsite for the family and in reading it I am glad to find how faithful they are. My heart still reaches out to them forever and my prayers will not cease.

Generally my way of healing is to write poetry. So I have written a poem. I hope that it accurately expresses my feelings.

Tonight I hold my children
Tonight I hear them laugh
Tonight I pray beside them
Instead of praying on their behalf

Tonight it seems so unfair
Tonight seems so unreal
Tonight my heart is breaking
For the reality seems so sereal

Tonight I cry for loved ones
Tonight I wish I could help
Tonight I wish to tell them
All the love God for them has felt

Tonight I know Christ is with them
Tonight I hope they feel Him there
Tonight may they know atonement
In the abundance He doth share

Tonight perhaps they'll doubt
Tonight they'll question "Why?"
Tonight they must learn to see things
Eternal, up beyond the sky

My sister, Shannah, also lost a son, Michael, at the age of 8 over 20 years ago and I know that this time has been perticularly difficult for her because she is feeling the pain all anew. I wrote a poem about that too, about 7 years ago which I have never shown her, but I thought that given the cercumstances I should add it aswell.

Suddenly,
it comes time.
Time to learn of tragedy.
Without warning
the words are spoken.
Nobody is ever expecting
to hear that
"Death has come."
How can a person
blurt the words out
without tenderness?
How can they not?

Suddenly,
it comes time.
Time to stop breathing.
It feels as though
the world should
drastically change.
Everyone,
just like you,
should stop.
But the world doesn't stop.
It was only
Your breathe.

I have never had to cope with the death first hand, so these poems reflect what I imagine it must feel like to lose a child. I am sorry if I have said the wrong things because I know that there are some times when a person is mourning that they don't want to hear. Like in Steal Magnolias when she says that she is in a better place because Shelly is in heaven and the mom says, "I don't want her in heaven I want her here!"

I believe that Cooper, Matthew and Michael, along with other ancestors who have past on before, have all been with their families this weekend and will continue to be, to help us who are left behind. There is a scripture that I can't find, but it says to not mourn for the spirit for it is with Christ, but to mourn for the lose of that life to this world. I think that this wonderful family has done such a beautiful job of that. You can tell by they things that they say that they understand that spiritually, Cooper is saved, and they are giving a wonderful memory to his time here with us.

I am grateful for the Gospel and for Jesus Christ and His atonement which makes it possible for all to return to God. Especiallly little children. And because he saved us from the grave we can understand when He meant when He said: "for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13.

It is my testimony that these things are true! My prayers and love are with them. If you would like to see pictures of this beautiful boys life here is the blogsite.
www.cooperkofford.blogspot.com