Yesterday I wrote about my friend Anna of An Inch of Gray, who suffered the worst loss imaginable. She lost a child – her 12 year old son.
Many of Anna’s blogging friends – and many kind people who do not know her personally – have asked what they can do for her.
How do you offer support when you most likely live far away – especially when you know someone only through their semi-anonymous blog? There is no address for sending a card or flowers…no information on a church service…
So I’ve been thinking about what people who love “Anna See” can do for her. And since almost all of these connections to Anna started online, I think it makes the most sense to do it here – online.
The church service will be crowded with people – and there will be family and friends at her house, taking care of her. Her house and her church are the two places where she is truly at home…but she also lives here. We can support her in this home. If you can’t give her hugs, comfort food or a hand to hold – you can give her your words.
So if you would like to do something to support Anna, please write. Or re-post something you’ve already written.
Anna and I have talked about how much we’ve loved getting to know people through their writing. Joining that open-to-everyone club where you make friends with “the people in the computer.” They’re real friendships too. And we value them.
You are valuable – and so are your words. Consider it your card. Your flowers. Your hug.
Below, you will find a place to link to a post in support for Anna. It could be thoughts about her, letters to her or stories that might offer her comfort. And if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, I’ve seen that many have left comments on her last blog post about her two beautiful children on their first day of school.
But there is one thing that I would ask of everyone. Whether you have a blog or not – if you know Anna or have just heard of her. Please pray for her and her family.
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t pray very much. But Anna does. She believes in prayer and I know that is what she would do for me. So that is what I will do for her. Please join me in this and take a moment to pray for Anna. Or just hold her in your thoughts. This would probably mean the most to her – to know that so many are with her in prayer or reflection.
Much love to you and your families. Especially the children. They are all so very precious.
If you would like to do something in the way of a donation, I have heard that the family has requested they be made to Samaritan’s Purse.
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9/12/11
I just returned from the service where I witnessed one of the most amazing moments of spoken word that I believe I will ever see in my life.
My friend talked about her son. Who he was to others…who he was to her…who he was. It was was so entirely comforting to everyone listening – the people there to comfort her – that for the first time in several days, feelings of hope eclipsed those of sorrow.
I still grieve for my friend’s loss. And I wish I could do the impossible – taking some of that burden from her… But seeing her so full of love and belief in his peace was unlike anything I could have imagined. Do people actually exude light? If that is physically possible – then that is what I saw.
I hope that someday she will share those words with those of us who love her and couldn’t be there. Maybe she will – and maybe she won’t…but I can give you one very important piece of it. She said that while their hearts are breaking for what could have been, she knows that their boy, the little “homebody” who loved his family, friends and neighborhood so much, is now truly “at home.”
I love you Anna.
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9/14/11
And then she did (you can also listen to the service HERE).