This has been a pretty lousy week, full of darkness and doubt; a family friend lost a battle with cancer; a co-worker lost her baby; and we lost a furry member of our extended family.

I know that I am one person, and that there were many people fighting their own battles this week.  It seems to come in waves, a good few weeks and then nothing but trigger words and terribleness.  I’ve been fighting my own battles the last week or so, but have struggled to put the fight into words.  It isn’t depression, or even sadness.  It is like trying to keep a candle lit in a shrieking gale.  To keep a little light where darkness shines.

And over the last week there have certainly been bright moments; watching my son play with his cousins, making my co-worker laugh at her son’s memorial, more hugs than I can count from more friends than I could name.

The best moments this week came from watching my wife take the final steps of a three-year journey, my son telling being excited when he woke up in the middle of the night and seeing that I was home.

Yes, this week has been filled with trigger words.  And yes, the depression waits like a beast in the shadows, but for this week we have enough light to keep it at bay.

Post-Script – I don’t usually add something to a post after I have written it, but I felt like I needed to for this one.  I ask that everyone send good thoughts, or prayers, or positive energy to a few people: the Rector Family, Ryan & Toni McCoy, and anyone that knew Ellie.  Loss is hard, but people can make it better.
Go hug somebody.