"father, mother, sister, brother,
uncle, aunt, nephew, niece,
soldier, sailor, physician, labourer,
actor, scientist, mechanic, priest
earth and moon and sun and stars
planets and comets with tails blazing
all are there forever falling
falling lovely and amazing"

Since late November, a few members of my family have been quietly tormenting over a friend of theirs who was missing in Texas. They rarely heard any news, they had to dig up stories and updates from far-off local newscasts. Periodically, they’d get a moment of hope, but it would be dashed.

Yesterday, they learned that their friend’s body had been found. Her husband is in police custody and their children in the custody of the state. In a moment five lives were destroyed forever, with shockwaves that will reverberate through every person this woman has come into contact with, from neighbors, to church friends to other parents.

In news reports, her friends and pastors have referred to her as a kind and giving woman, a loving woman, a good employee, a dedicated friend. An all around good woman.

Though I do not recall meeting her, she attended my mother’s funeral. While the family went to the cemetery, she went back to my mother’s house to help set up the food for the after funeral get-together. Even though she had never met my mother, she was there for my brother, his wife and their family. She greeted grieving strangers, offered them a communal meal, listened to their stories and gave them a place to rest their tired, grief-stricken bodies. Though, in essence, she never met our family outside of brief moments, she gave of herself one Tuesday afternoon during a snowstorm to alleviate some of the burdens of a grieving family.

I hope that, in some way, I can repay her kindness with kindness of my own. Her family is now the one in need and I hope there is something I can do from afar, some sort of comfort or help, that I can provide in their time of need. She was a kind, giving human being who touched me, though I wasn’t even aware of it. I can tell by the words of her friends and family that she will be truly missed. And I know, from my own brief encounter (that I truly wish that I could remember now) that the world will certainly ache from her loss. She was an example of humanity, piety and generosity that many of us can learn from.

Lives collide, paths intersect with a frequency that we are never aware of. Each and every day we cross the paths of other people. Our lives may touch one another in hidden and quiet ways. We may offer one another comfort, humor and friendship without even realizing it. From letting someone in on the highway, to an entertaining chat with a stranger while waiting for a movie.

As I sit here thinking about these quiet moments, I am reminded of a family from New Jersey whom my family met on our vacation to Disney World a few years ago. We were standing, waiting for a parade at EPCOT. I mentioned to Matilda that we would see exotic characters from around the world. She replied, “Even New Jersey?” The family next to us thought this was hilarious. We chatted while waiting, our kids shared a churro and they bought a glowing necklace for their daughter and ours. Our families didn’t know one another. But for those few hours, watching parades and fireworks, we were friends. Two families from different parts of the world sharing in the same moment.

I still remember that family. And I probably will for the rest of my life. Their brief kindness touched me.

Do not take life . . . anyone’s life . . . for granted. Our time here on this little blue-green dot is short. And sometimes painful. It’s people like the friend of my brother’s wife who make our lives a little easier sometimes, even though they are, in a respect, strangers.

We should take her life as an example. Give a little bit of yourself. It doesn’t hurt, and you never know who you may touch by accident. And it doesn’t have to take much time.

So, the next time you’re standing line at the grocery store, let the woman with the three kids ahead of you. She may need to get home. Or the crazy guy on the highway may not just be an inconsiderate moron, as you may suspect. He may be hurrying home to a sick child. You just may make someone’s day. You never know when that one moment of kindness may be the biggest thing you can contribute.

Take the time. Let people know you care. We share this space for a short time. Why not do it in a loving and generous way?

As Wayne Coyne once said:
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round