Connection
Earlier this month, I shared a meal with over 30 women at a restaurant. The varied ages didn’t matter. Our vocation had no importance. What we wore or how we looked had no bearing on why we were there. Our differences made no difference. We had all experienced the loss of a spouse.
As I listened to the conversations, I heard the mention of their husband’s favorite food. I watched their faces as they said how long it had been. I saw them share a photo of their husband, children, or their dog. I heard the laughter at a nearby table. It was a remarkable space to sit in. Loss did not have the last word. Loss did not deter them from living. Loss created a path where each story from each woman merged and forged a bond.
I love the verse in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
What I noticed was an undeniable sense of compassion among the women in the restaurant. Within the compassion was an essence of mutual comfort. Much like veterans who have served together in the desolation of a war, there’s an unspoken bond that ties them together. Similarly, we share an invisible link that tethers us together.
Connection is key to moving forward after a major loss. Healing comes when we discover we are not alone. Larry Crabb, author of the book “Connecting,” said, “Sometimes the best remedy for grief is finding some way to touch somebody else’s life.”
Compassion, comfort, and connection are found when we find others along the journey.