Sometimes people are REALLY insensitive.
Even cruel.
I'm sure that doesn't surprise you (it doesn't surprise me)... It's just one of those inescapable facts of life.
But sometimes God slaps me in the face with perspective.
Yesterday was one of those days.
Late in the afternoon, I decided to check the headlines--kind of take a break from the business of the day--when I saw that Amy Winehouse had been found dead in her London apartment.
I'm a little ashamed to admit that I was only surprised for the .87 seconds it took for the initial shock to wear off. Even though I felt some sadness, my actual THOUGHT was something along the lines of, "I'm not surprised, given all the drug-abuse problems she is reported to have had."
Wow. THAT was callous, Jeff! (I feel ashamed again as I re-live this to write it down.)
That's when the perspective backhanded me...
"What if that were Hosanna? Or Faith? Or Leili? Or Jennifer?"
Ouch.
I wasn't so calloused anymore.
Regardless of how we feel/think about Amy Winehouse, she was SOMEONE's daughter. SOMEONE loved her. SOMEONE is hurting horribly today because their beloved little girl!
Today, someone is remembering--through HORRIBLE heartache--the day they found out they were going to have a baby... A baby that became Amy Winehouse.
They're remembering today--through tears--her first steps. Her first words. Her first day of school.
The first song she wrote.
The first time they realized that she was talented. Extraordinarily talented.
I doubt they imagined at that moment that they would be mourning her death at just 27 years old.
I doubt they imagined that they would outlive their "Baby Amy" (or whatever cute little nicknames they gave her).
I doubt they imagined that people would say such cruel things about her untimely death. (Is it just me or do some people seem to be almost celebrating?)
But then again, I doubt if anyone ever imagines that their beloved son or daughter passes into eternity before they do.
Have you?
I haven't, even though I lived it.
So, before you pile on the "we all saw this coming" bandwagon like I did, please... Please... PLEASE...
Ask yourself...
"What if it was YOUR daughter?"
