Ordinarily, I’m sociable and active in a number of organizations and commitments. But following the death of our beloved kitty, Tom Thumb, I hadn’t felt like socializing. We’d had little Tommy less than a year. He loved to play fetch, then curl up on my lap like a baby.
Compassionate, understanding friends are allowing me the space I need in which to grieve. It’s strange, going through a season of life different from that of everyone around me. These transitions, particularly when unexpected, affect each of us differently, including our connections and interactions with others.
One gentleman in my church sent a comforting note saying he was sorry for my loss, expressing, from his own experience, the dear place pets hold in the hearts of their owners. My friends extend grace by patiently waiting for me to get through my grief, which I’m doing by spending time alone with Jesus, before resuming my usual commitments. In my sadness, I know I’m fully accepted by Jesus, regardless of whether I’m able to perform my usual duties. His comfort covers me.
Like my thoughtful brothers and sisters in Christ, I want to be sensitive to the seasons of life among the people around me. Just as others accept the time it has taken me to move through my loss, I want to extend that same grace to others, wherever they’re at in their own lives. I know Jesus will guide me in doing that, just as He always understands and accepts me in all seasons.
—Cassandra Tiersma
