Yesterday was a difficult day for me. I got word that my friends Charlie and Ali lost their infant daughter Cate because of complications after heart surgery. This was very hard news for me and Candyce to take. We both cried together in the kitchen.

Compassion is a mysterious gift that ties people together. Last week, Charlie wrote in his blog that when he woke up in the hospital room and looked out over the city and watched cars scurrying through the streets as people move on with their lives, unaware of the pain and uncertainty that consumed his life.

It seemed like I would be a bad friend to Charlie by writing about something as trivial as cars, music, or stuff about remodeling a house. Whenever I got the urge to write, I instead clicked over their blog to get updates. What started out as a sign of solidarity became something I never would’ve predicted. My heart became heavier each day, and I continued to check for updates on their blog I needed them to comfort me through all of this. Its seems ridiculous and backwards, I know.

This morning was the first update since Baby Cate passed way. You should read the whole thing yourself, but here are some thoughts that Charlie shared that meant a lot to me:

About priorities…

You know, we always have enjoyed our children, we make it a priority of our family, but with Cate’s passing, there is even a more renewed sense of the day to day. To literally slow down, to listen when they talk, to play paper dolls, and to shoot spider man webs all over the room. And so that is what we did, we enjoyed the beautiful gift that God has given to us, what we call our family.

About hope…

We have learned that hope is not based on a certain outcome. That hope is what gets us through everything. Just because the prayers of many were not answer in the particular way, that we thought they should be, doesn’t mean that WE, all of us, should give up HOPE.

About solidarity…

We love you all so much and thank you for journeying with us, and running this marathon. The race is over, and Cate was victorious. We all win that way. We do ask that you remain, Hope Filled, with us as we stand together, plus many, minus one.