IT IS NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS, IT IS A LIFE.

This morning I looked through my Facebook page and as I scrolled through, I saw adverts, I saw prayers, jokes and even news. But then I got to a post and I just got stuck there, my mouth was opened and I couldn’t close it, I tried to understand what I had just read but I couldn’t, I tried to explain it, I tried to put myself in the family’s shoes, I tried to do a lot of things all at once but I just couldn’t. I was blank, I didn’t know the person but I could feel the grief of the family, I could imagine the pain of the family. As I took another look at the post, I felt bad. This was the post:

We lost a dear friend to accident yesterday; he was coming back from his NYSC POP, had an accident and died. RIP Henry, u'll always b in our hearts.

 

I know that people die every day; I know that people have accidents and die, I know that people leave their homes and never come back, I know that the news of death floods the media all the time. I am aware. I have seen people read about death, accident and make remarks like, ‘it happens’, ‘oh it’s one of those things’, ‘that one isn’t tragic enough, did you hear of…’

It looks like tragedy has become a middle name and somehow we become unmoved by the happenings around us. I am not saying we should linger on evil happenings or hold on to the past but what are we doing about them. Do we pray to God about these things? Do we check our cars properly before leaving the house? Do we go for regular servicing? Do we avoid over speeding? Do we go for regular health checkups? Do we visit the doctors when we feel sick? Do we help people who are at the point of death in the little way we can? Do we look out for other people when we notice strange things? The list is endless. These things happen and we still ask what can I do? There is so much to be done. A lot of accidents can be averted; there are some sicknesses that wouldn’t have led to death if they were detected early enough.

The fact that tragedy has become a contact thing does not make it good, it does not make it right. There is a lot that we can do.

God forbid but if it were our close relative that died would it just be one of those things for us, if it were our blood, would it just be one of those things, if it were our partners would it just be one of those things. No it wouldn’t, we would not find it funny, we would not laugh at the thought, and we would not even want to hear it. We would do what we have to do, if it is cry, mourn, pray, keep silent, whatever works we will do.

I can imagine Henry’s Mother waiting excitedly at the door of her house for her son who was on his way back from youth service. She must have made his favourite meal, she must have spread the news to her neighbours, only for that joy to be short lived, she heard the good news but she couldn’t feel it, she couldn’t see it, she just heard it.

She must have been paralysed with grieve. Many thoughts running through her head, I cannot begin to imagine the grief.

The truth is a lot of people will still die, tragedy will happen but there are some that can be averted. We have heard of people who prayed and stopped death, we have heard of people who took the right medication and escaped death, we have heard of people who put their cars in good condition and escaped death through the help of God.

We do not want untimely death. We all have a plan, purpose and destiny to fulfil; death should not cut it off. I know that people will still die, I know that we will still hear of stories of death but when we hear about it, the least we can do is observe a minute silence for these people and say a prayer for the family, whatever comes to our mind to do but make sure it is something you would want people to do when they hear that you are gone (definitely not now, God will spare us to fulfil our purpose and destiny)

No matter how much of hurt and pain we experience, we must never make it a part of us, we must not see them as normal. Pain, tragedy and tears are not normal and by the power of God there are some that can be averted.

Pain is not normal, joy is. Please mourn with those who mourn, rejoice with those who rejoice, no one knows tomorrow.

I pray that in the remaining part of this year you will not just hear joy, you will experience it, feel it and see it in Jesus name.

Rest in peace Henry, May the Lord comfort your family and loved ones.