I offer my sympathy and condolences to the families of Nolan Wells, Erica Weathersby, Keyana Weathersby, Camari Givens, Kohen Wiley, George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor and all the deaths of African Americans past and present. I give my sympathy to their family and friends because I know it hurts.
It is hard not to ask questions and want to know why a loved one died. It is hard not to fall into depression and want to give up. It is hard to get over the pain of a broken heart, especially when someone you love has been killed for no reason. It is easy for those who have not been through this to say, “It is going to be OK and you will get better,” but people never explain: How do you get over it? It is hard to offer forgiveness even when that is what you have been taught. It is hard to handle the pain, to stop crying and to stop feeling like it’s your fault. How do you make it through when someone has pulled your heart out of your body and justice has not been served? What would you do?
Our world’s safety has changed dramatically. There is evil all around us, and nothing is like it used to be. Our world seems to be reverting back to a violent and separated history, where people are not fighting for each other but fighting against each other. There is war, chaos and no peace. There is evil in the minds of men, and no way to combat it. How do you live and be full of joy when the world around you is falling down? What do you do when you lose a loved one and no one seems to care?
I offer my love and compassion to those who have lost a loved one. Losing someone is hard, and it can send you into a dark place. Though you may be in a dark place, the way I make it through times of mourning is by honoring the loved ones I lost by thinking of all our good times. I put the bad times behind me, and I remember everything that was good.
If you have lost a loved one due to murder, suicide or something else, I think the best way to move forward is to pray and ask for answers. You are not being disrespectful to God, but trying to find comfort for your broken heart. God will soothe your pain in time, but you have to believe He will. Keep pictures and everything that was good between you and your loved one close to your heart and soul. This will inevitably help you in dissipating your anger.
This MFP Voices opinion essay reflects the personal opinion of its author(s). The column does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
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