Loss

I was raised to never use four letter words. Sixty-three years later, I still try not to use them. However, there is one four letter word that makes all of the other words pale in comparison.

“Loss” is perhaps the cruelest word in our vocabulary. Mainly because too often it is placed at the end of “Sorry for your…” Perhaps we say those words in the moment because that sentence is all that we can muster. In our defense, there really aren’t any better words. Especially when the loss was caused by cancer.

At this moment in time, I would love to string together a run-on sentence comprised of only the four letter words I was forbidden to use. You know the words. They could get creatively used as nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives. It might help. Or maybe even a full paragraph of them would be enough to give the right balance. But maybe there are no perfect words to properly convey the immense depth of sorrow joined with the abyss of anger that is currently sitting in my heart.

A dear friend passed this week. She was too young, too wonderful, too beautiful inside-and-out to not be walking this planet anymore. Fighting her battle with cancer with the strength of a warrior, she never gave up hope. Never gave up her faith. She has left behind a legion of people who loved and adored her. We have all had tremendous loss.

It isn’t fair.