Is God among us?

   You spend the early hours of the morning removing a pair of teenage boys from the wreckage of what was once a vehicle. The first, is deceased on scene. As much as you wish you could help him, he is gone. The second, his life hangs by a string. A string that dangles in your face, taunting you. You hope with everything in you, that you can keep this kid alive, but he too succumbs to his injuries. You put your heart, sweat, and even your tears into these kids, and in the end you couldn't help either of them. Their young lives ended far too soon. It's hard to fathom how God could have been present. You can't even think of anything good that could come out of losing two young kids, who's lives were still ahead of them. Sometimes you wonder why you had to be there to see such tragedy unfold. Then the words of others pop into your head, and remind you that, "you can't save them all."

   You go about cleaning up your vehicle, to remove the remnants of the gory scene, that moments earlier took place. You step outside of the vehicle, and catch a warm breeze on your face. You raise your eyes, and bare witness to the most beautiful sunrise you have ever seen. Beautiful streaks of pink, orange, and purples smudged together forming a natural masterpiece. In that moment, you think to yourself "how can something so beautiful, something so perfect exist right after such a horrific, and emotionally draining night?" Is there a reason this once in a lifetime sunrise happened that day? Was it meant to be there when your mind needed it most? The world sometimes surprises you with it's beauty, often when you feel there is no beauty left.

   It's easy to chalk it up to mere coincidence, one that happened to give you just what you needed, at just the right moment. Could this perfectly timed comfort be the work of a higher power, telling you in silent beauty that you did what he wanted you to do, even though his plan was something different? It gives you something to think about.

   What if, every fatal accident we encounter, every innocent death, every murder, every sad call we bare witness to teaches us a little lesson? What if our mere presence, whether we can help or not is simply meant to be comfort enough for a family experiencing unbelievable grief? What if each experience sets us up for that one moment when we are put to the test and come out victorious? These are simple questions, but they leave a lot of room for wonder.

   Have you witnessed calm, comfort such as this before? Have you felt like something was placed right in front of you because at that moment in time, that is what you really needed? Do you stop and look for the beauty around you after seeing the horror that life can bring?

   I for one sometimes appreciate the well timed "gifts." Whether they are from God, or by mere coincidence. Sometimes looking for the beauty around you, can be just what you need.