A Friend In Need

I have a very dear friend who has been by my side for more than a decade now, offering me love, encouragement, advice and support.

He is a unique and beautiful human being, one who doesn’t appreciate his own value. I was delighted a few years ago when my friend met a glorious woman who did appreciate him and who saw all the things in my friend that I see. She fell in love with him, and he with her, and shortly thereafter the two were married in a small ceremony that radiated love unlike any other wedding I’ve attended.

But now my friend’s wife is gone. Only six months after they married, she was diagnosed with cancer. In August — before their second wedding anniversary — this woman who had been so full of life and joy was lost to the earthly world.

Moving forward

And so now what?

Where does my friend go now, and how do I help him?

He continues to go to work each day and takes great comfort in the dog he and his wife adored.

But his spirit is hurting, and all I want to do is make it better.

I realize, of course, that that’s the job of time and that all I can do is continue to love him and talk to him and offer to help in any way I can. I pray for him, and I most certainly believe his wife looks down upon him and sends her love to him, and that he can feel it.

But the fact is, I’ve never faced such a profound loss. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a whole part of myself, with no hope of getting it back. I don’t know how I would cope, much less how I can help my friend find strength to keep having faith in life.

Keeping him in my prayers

I told him, just after his wife died, that I knew their wedding day had been the happiest day of her life. My friend responded by saying it was the happiest day of his life, too — exceeded only by every other day he got to spend with his bride.

I want my friend to have more happy days, and I hope that I might have a role in helping him heal.

For now, I’ll just keep praying. I’ll ask God to watch over my friend and to give me the grace to know the right things to do and to say.

If you have room for one more intention, would you pray for my friend, too?

About the Author

Jennifer Scroggins

Jennifer Scroggins joined Franciscan Media in July 2010 as division director of content creation and services. A northern Kentucky native, Jennifer is passionate about travel, sports, cooking, fitness, music and the Catholic faith. She is a member of St. Paul parish in Florence, Ky.