As we celebrated Mother's Day yesterday, we were filled with thoughts of gratitude and love. Even those who may have lost a mother remember this day with fond memories. But there is one category of mothers for whom this day is very hard...those who have lost a child.
Loss is a part of life. Still, it is a mystery and at times an agony for those undergoing the pain of separation. Probably the most difficult loss is a mother's loss of a child. In the normal flow of things, this should never happen. But it does. And there are no simple answers. The pain of loss is unique, and nothing can fill the void one feels.
George Maloney calls that place of emptiness our "desert." To quote: But he [God] can only be met in the desert of your own being, in the depths where you encounter the dread of loss (Journey Into Mystical Prayer, 8). According to Maloney, loss has the potential to bring us to a different level of awareness of God. It is the crisis that actually gives us opportunity for a unique type of growth. It is a common conception of many psychologists, especially Erikson.
Though this does not ease the pain of loss, such concepts can give us direction and purpose. And that is something we can all use in the long process of healing. Loss will forever shadow our existence here on earth. We need to know, it does not have to be needless pain.
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