Life is fragile. We know this. But every now and then a day comes around when we are reminded in a big way. As the day’s news began to unfold of the young lives that had ended in tragedy, there was once again the reminder…..life is fragile. Days can begin with the normal routine….coffee in a favorite mug……breakfast cereal just like all the other days…..the morning paper and then….. wham…….life as we have known it can change forever. There is a diagnosis, an accident, an argument, a harsh word, a horrific tragedy………no turning back.

At our deepest level we know the fragility of our lives. Bad things do indeed happen to good people. It is difficult, if not impossible, to see the sense in any of it. But it is almost always possible to see our connection to those who have been thrown into a tailspin. We watch the stories of the lives of these young people being told by friends and family…..don’t we know someone like each of them? We listen to the stories of fear and confusion, chaos and courage that gripped them as their ordinary day turned into a life-changing day. Don’t we also know young people just like these survivors? They are like our children, our sisters, our brothers, our grandchildren, our neighbors, our students…..they are perhaps like we once were.

Yesterday was another reminder that life is fragile….each day is a gift….handle with care.