Support from unexpected sources
Sometimes support arrives from an unexpected source. A seven-year-old neighbor greeted me when I arrived home at the end of a workday a few days after the sudden death of my Golden Retriever. She had seen my wife and me weeping over Cody’s body after he collapsed and died on our driveway from a stroke.
                 
I was concerned about how our display of intense sadness might have affected her. We talked about what happened, about heaven, and about what tragedy means. After talking for several minutes, she smiled and told me, “Now I have something happy to tell you… but it’s a little sad too.”

She talked about how much she enjoyed ballet. Then she told me how sad she would be if the teacher canceled the class. They were having problems finding the right location.

I think she was trying to cheer me… but not too much. So she said, “…but it’s a little sad too.” I think her purpose was to show she cared and to provide me with reassurance. Her childlike wisdom and kindness touched me and has become part of memories of Cody. She is learning how to respond to another as a Friend. In a moment of need, we might discover a Friend in the heart of a young child.