last night i read about the passing of a young man, soldier from our local area. this caught me more than other reports for two reasons. 1. he's a young man from our local area & i knew that some of the teenagers (now young adults) i know were more than likely friends with him 2. my little brother just returned to home from his second deployment to Iraq.

strange behavior that acted on.. i went to see if he had a facebook..

wired covered a beginning of this phenomenon a few years back & it continues to grow as our grieving many times goes from the physical presence act of leaving crosses on the streets, creating memorials & altars at doorsteps/fences/etc. to the digital profiles of the people we are loosing.

here become the places that we go to leave our last words and condelences. it is here that we find solice with others. here where we tell stories. here where we post old pictures and remember times past.

i have seen it a number of times as i am sure you have as well. a question to ask ourselves is this..

is a digital rememberance enough in caring for those who are grieving?

i worry if our digital nature will compromise our grieving by keeping the physical presence of people away or shortening it. it is no doubt encouraging to see the impact a person has had on a life shared in a time such as this, but it cannot make up for hugs, face to face conversation, and just sitting & being. i appreciate Jewish traditions in how they sit and wait for the initial impact to settle then they, as a community, spend months in supporting the family's need. my Christian traditions seem to whirlwind around the family in the immediate moment then wane quickly over the next two weeks. grieving however, goes on for much longer.

it isn't lost on me that this post is in some way reflective & ironic in the very acts that i'm referring.

Specialist Michael Stansbury Jr. thank you for your ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. may you find the peace of Christ surrounding you. prayers for family to find strength & comfort.

a prayer for your fellow servicemen & women