When Life Goes On

     The term "life goes on" is one that can take on many tones. I've heard it said in humor, sarcasm, irritation and often, in hope. The phrase is common and at times feels trite. The concept behind the words can be truly puzzling. It's comforting at times, disappointing at others, and in some situations, it feels like a complete phenomenon!

     The image that comes to mind when I think about "life goes on", is the image of a carnival/amusement park ride. It's the ride where you sit in an apple-shaped 'car' or a pumpkin 'car', or whatever themed 'car' the park features. For my purposes, I'll reference the tilt-a-whirl. The whole platform circles around like a merry-go-round. Sometimes, your car is on the downward part of the slope, just as it seems to happen in life, sometimes. Maybe you're in a rut, unhappy in a job, going through a difficult phase of parenting, or the worst-your heart is broken due to the loss of a loved one. For me, I wondered how in the world December 6, 1982, or January 12, 1993, or May 17, 1994, or March 20, 2011 could be normal days for anyone! How could people go to work, when I was saying goodbye to my grandparents? I was weeping, hurting, and beginning the rest of my life without them.  How were people in the 'cars'on the upward part of the platform laughing? Didn't they know?? The answer? No. They didn't. The platform continues to move because "life goes on".

     The upward part of the slope is a place where, sometimes, it's just as hard to imagine that life is still moving. My wedding day was a magnificent day! The energy, anticipation, the dressing like a princess, the beginning of my new life...how did people cut their grass, or watch a youth soccer game, or say goodbye to a grandparent? I was getting *married*! How could February 15, 1999 or January 28, 2001, or October 15, 2003 be anything short of a miracle for people? I was meeting my babies! Didn't they know? No. They didn't. The platform continues to move because "life goes on".

     And sometimes, no matter where you are on the platform: down low because you're struggling badly, or up high because life is smooth, or in the spinning car because you're experiencing pure elation...all of a sudden, the platform seems to stop- for all of us. In the wake of a paralyzed platform, we all look to see what caused it. In my lifetime, it's been stopped by the loss of a daycare full of children in Oklahoma, a dark, gut-wrenching day in September, a classroom full of innocent first-grade babies, and most recently, a sabotaged finish line at a marathon. Today, as most victims were realizing the full scope of their nightmare, we went to work, the grocery store, watched the local news, laughed, cried, and perhaps even felt a tinge of boredom. I'm quite certain the city of Boston was asking, "How can April 16, 2013 be a normal day for anyone!?  Don't they know? "The answer? Yes. We do. We are so sorry.

Keeping all in prayer as the platform resumes moving, even as we ask the question, "How can life just go on?"