Dear Vice President Biden,
The world woke up this morning to the news that your beloved
son Beau had died. There are times when the only words that make any sense are “I
am so sorry for your loss.” They sound trivial and somehow not sufficient
enough, and yet nothing else makes much sense,
For me, there is an added poignancy to this news. In the fall of 2010 our 21-year-old son
Matthew died following a virulent form of strep that attacked his heart. In
those dark, early days, weeks and months, I struggled to make sense of this
most unimaginable of losses—the death of a child. As my family and I made it
through that first year, I found myself needing to see who had also gone
through such a loss. As my search widened beyond my own community, your story
came up. The story of how as a newly elected senator your wife and baby
daughter had died in a car crash. I read how you stood vigilant at your sons’
bedsides, how you were sworn in at the hospital, and how you commuted back and
forth from Washington D.C. to Delaware so that your sons could be raised at
home. I read up on it all, and it made a difference.
Your story stood as a beacon of hope for me as I struggled
through that first year. You showed me the resiliency of the human spirit and
that life does indeed go on. You demonstrated through your actions that you can
in fact survive to make a difference in the world. Forever and irrevocably changed,
but not giving into the despair, which must have resided just beneath the
surface (at least in the beginning). I am eternally grateful to you for showing
me that.
So now as you lay another child to rest and stand side by
side with grief I, and so many others, weep with you. You raised a remarkable
son, who followed in your footsteps and served his country, his community and
his family well. You should be very proud.
He was taken much too early, but he lived his life honorably and with
integrity.
I walk with you in solidarity Vice-president Biden, as a
fellow bereaved parent. May Beau’s memory be a blessing to you forever.
Warmly,
Robin Gaphni
Perfectly said, Robin. XO
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Robin. It's rare and deeply comforting to find such a heartfelt response to the suffering of a public figure. With love to you and your family, Parker
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed and heartfelt, Robin. Joe Biden has endured more than his share of heartbreak and suffering.
ReplyDeleteYour words of peace and encouragement illustrate what life is truly all about. Thank you for your witness of kindness.
ReplyDeleteWarren Light, uowesleycenter@gmail.com