Why... (8.1.05)

Have you ever seen someone go through a really awful ordeal and wondered "why." And you can't help but question ALL the why's..."Why them?" "Why not me?" "Why would God put so much on them?" "Why can't I figure out how to help?" "Why is everything in my life going so well and everything in their life going so wrong?"

I am playing the "why" game today. A friend and coworker of mine is going through a horrible time right now - her husband is in Iraq, her mother is battling cancer (seems to be in the last stages), one of her dogs has been diagnosed with cancer, too, and they are like her babies since she doesn't have any children. She just found out (literally in the last 15 minutes) that a funeral director has met with her parents. She is from Philadelphia, so she's not close to home; she has no brothers or sisters...she is relatively alone besides her friends and coworkers. And it breaks my heart.

This morning when her vet called to tell her that the pathology report had come back positive, she called me upstairs. That was totally out of character - she is usually so very stubborn and strong. She bawled on the fire escape and let me comfort her (as best I could) while she just unraveled. And then, to get the phone call about her mother this afternoon - isn't that too much for a person to handle? Why would God give someone so much to take at one time? And no one to help her share the burden? I just don't understand.

And I know that it is beyond human comprehension and not for us to understand...but it just seems so cruel. So positively unbearable. And I have no idea what to do, what to say, or how to handle it.

I started a little "fund" this morning (within our company) for her doggy...a Foundation for his radiation treatment. It seems like such a trite little thing - I wish I could do more. I'm awful in these situations - they scare me and I don't know what to do or say. At this point, I am just praying for her and for her family and her babies. It's heartbreaking.

So, now the only other thing I can think of to do is to ask y'all to pray too. Her name is Elizabeth, and her dog's name is Toby. She is one of the sweetest people on this planet and would do anything for anyone. I only hope I can somehow show her how much we all care.

Thanks...