How do we tell him
That he is going to die?
What do we say?
What do we tell ourselves?
Is it okay to scream?
We have questions,
But no answers.
Why him?
Pain,
But no relief.
A message,
But no words.
Mouths are dry,
Hands are shaking,
Voices quiver,
Hearts are breaking.
He already knows,
But not how soon.
We comfort him,
Who will comfort us?
Life is stopping,
Breath is gone.
Who has the answer?
How do we go on?
He showed us courage,
This young man called Jon.
“Goodbye…we love you,”
Our last words to our son.
~~~
Copyright © 2011 LeRoy Dean All Rights Reserved
Wordsmith's Desk 
Profoundly moving, I wept as I read this, not expecting it when I came over to your blog. To lose your son, I can’t even bare to think about it…
I will say this though…when I was 21 I was married to a young man called Jon. He died when he was 21…
God bless you and may His face shine upon you as you continue on with your journey with your son Jon who lives in your heart…always…
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So incredibly sorry. Unimaginable.
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You will be blessed I promise, God has you in the palm of his hands.
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Praying GOD holds you tight in the middle of your pain, suffering and loss. I am so very sorry and feel your pain as I have lost loved ones. The pain never ever goes away feels like a piece of my body is missing in death. GOD can provide the peace you need I am praying for you to find peace. Melody
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Blessings to you and your family. So sorry about your son.
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I can feel your words come across. Sorry for your loss.
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If you don’t mind my asking..how did your son pass away? And how old was he? I looked around through your blog here and didn’t see anything.
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Beautiful. Very sorry for your huge loss. My sympathy and heart goes out to you.
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Beautifully written! I’m so sorry for the loss of your son. I was amazed at the courage my mom showed right up until the day she died. I’ve always said that she was the strongest of us all. Understanding (and accepting) God’s will is hard, but I know there is a reason why my mom died when she did from pancreatic cancer. And I know she is with our Lord in the beauty of Heaven, reunited with her parents. Some day we will be reunited too. Take care.
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These are the last words I didn’t have to say to my son.
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Heart breaking LeRoy.
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This is heartbreaking, yet beautiful.
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Beautiful. Powerful. Disturbing. Profoundly meaningful. Thank you for sharing your pain.
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I pray you can find some peace in knowing to whom He is going, and in King David’s words, you will one day go to Him. I can’t possibly imagine what you are going through now, but, I pray you get a word from God, a word that wraps you in the arms of peace that exceeds all earthly understanding,.. I pray for your peace of mind.
Bless You
paul
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Tears for you and your family. There is nothing quite as touching as a father weeping for his son.
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Oh, gosh this is beautifully painful–and painfully beautiful. My heart goes out to you, sincere condolences. If you’re not familiar with Thomas & Ethel Davis, at Fourwindowspress.wordpress.com, you might want to visit there. They, too, lost a son under similar circumstances.
And, thank you very much for visiting my blog–I appreciate it, and you’re welcome back anytime, as I will come here too. God bless you, sir.
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No matter how many times I read this, I can’t help but be taken back five years, to December 16, 2006. My son and I were in a horrible car accident. As I held his limp 6-year old body in my arms, his skull fractured and blood gushing from a shard of glass stuck in his brain, he looked at me and asked, “Daddy, am I going to die?”
As the words left my lips, “No, son”, the image of Abraham holding his one-and-only son Isaac upon the altar of sacrifice flashed in my mind. Was God asking me to give Him my son as He’d asked Abraham? I’d done so the night my wife and I found out she was pregnant; was He now testing my word or holding me to it?
With both my heart and my head, I entrusted my little boy into the hands of the God who “gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”
Daniel is still with me. And tho this 12-year old tries me beyond measure sometimes, I can never give enough thanks for God leaving him with me here a bit longer. I am daily reminded that our Father also knows what it is to give up His Son.
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That is so sad…and the faith you had. Thank goodness your little boy lived… God bless you.
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I can feel your words.
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Your words are simple but eloquent. When I experience such deep grief, I understand that God is revealing His heart to me. I take comfort that He trusts me with this understanding and that He is molding me to resemble Himself. He is ENLARGER (1 Chron. 4:10) of my knowledge and influence. He is GOD WHO TURNS CURSES INTO BLESSINGS (Neh. 13:2)–my feelings and pain to help others. He is WIPER OF TEARS (Is. 25:8). How gracious of God to give us some many of His names that we might understand,whatever our situations, He covers them.
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Going through the experience of losing a loved one is such a heart breaking thing. When I went through the stormy waters of the passing of my 11 yr old son I found the verse ‘the wages of sin is death….’ so very sobering. Sin brought the ultimate conclusion. The awfulness (for lack of a better word) was determined in the Garden. Separation/death was the conclusion. I’m not sure we as a people, in general, really view sin for how God views it and I, for one, didn’t understand until the Lord let me feel it’s full impact. But it was there that I found my fellowship with Him the sweetest. It was there that the rest of the verse became very real….’but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6:23.
In John 17:3 it says ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.’ I knew Jesus Christ as my Savior when my son pasted on, but it was then that I entered into a much deeper and intimate relationship of knowing Him. Only Jesus knows the depth of inner pain within a heart and soul. Only he can heal a broken heart. Only He can understand….only Jesus. Not even my husband, children nor parents. And it brought me much comfort to know that the very One that I communed with was in the presence of my son at that very moment too. Think about that. As I communed with my Savior, my son was there in the presence of the Lord, too. Who in this earthly world could bring that kind of comfort to my soul? Only my Beloved could ever do such a thing. I still miss my son….no doubt there. But I have that blessed hope that is given to me in His word that someday I shall be transported in the air to be forever (and ever) with Him and all those that love His appearing and we will be all together with those who have gone ahead……even come Lord Jesus! even so come…
This is a reply I had written earlier today on another dear believers blog. I thought that I might share it with you….
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May you be comforted by our loving Heavenly Father and others who have experienced the death of a child. Your words beautifully express the unraveled thoughts and emotions that a grieving parent can experience.
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Your words are beautiful……
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Who comfort us? Beautiful poem, very sad.
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They say that “God gives what we can handle.” I often wonder why! I feel like I am in the midst or wilderness of things un said and un done. I believe in Faith, Hope, and Love and the mission of our paths on this great earth and sky. It takes someone special to touch our lives the way “your son” did to all of us. He lives in your words and in our hearts ~ Jackie © 2011
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The expression of your loss touches me deeper than words can convey, but your faith in God through it all is so uplifting. Thanks for smithing the words, LeRoy.
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I have no words, but please know that you are in my prayers. Love and hugs. xx
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Beautiful words for a very sad time. So sorry for you and your family.
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So, so sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine…
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May God comfort you as you try to cope with such a tragic loss.
Someday we will understand God’s will, but today we cry.
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