23 May The Quiet Intruder of Grief

Barely a month ago, the nation mourned together over the events that unfolded at the Boston Marathon. Social media and news sites were hit every hour to gather information, and the country mourned together.

Monday brought about another national event, this one showcasing the power and unpredictability of nature, rather than people. A F4 tornado slammed through the town of Moore, Oklahoma in a violent display of natural power. When the thunder stopped and the rain slacked to a drizzle, a path of flattened destruction stretched to the horizon and the death tally changed at every hour.

Homes gone. Heirlooms shredded. Families marred. Care needed.

So grief begins.

After the events in Boston we posted a blog on the subject of grief (Read it HERE) which was well received. The initial shock fades and rebuilding begins, but grief is a quiet invader that gains emotional control and momentum as time passes. A quote by a first responder hits it on the head:

“We have not yet reached the coping state. We still have not processed what has happened.”

It’s survival time. Then the news crews will disappear, and the debris will be cleaned up, and the town will have to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start rebuilding. While the exterior re-building will take time and sorrow, the internal rebuilding will be a different story. It will take time. Grief will be in their honey, their lives, their milk, their conversation.

ACC Family resolutely sends out prayer and support for the victims in Moore. We pray for the initial time of clean up and sorting, while also praying for a journey of grief-care. Our hearts are with you.