Reciprocatory Condolences

What stands out for me as I receive condolence messages is “I feel your pain. I lost my parents/ in-laws/ sibling/ uncle/ aunt to COVID last week/ month/ year.”

3 of us on a group of 17 on whastapp have shared losing a parent in a 3-week window. On another group a friend is sharing details of a prayer ceremony she is organising in her family and we are exchanging notes on the same. A college friend shares about the loss of his brother.

As if every home had to send at least 1 solider to the battlefield. Never have I seen so much loss and so much grief together. Some of us are numb, some of us are affected deeply, some of us are not not functional .. it is a spectrum!

And then there is hope when I hear my friends in other countries talking about getting vaccines and their young children going for vaccines.