WHEN SHE LOSES HER SMILE

When she loses her smile

something inside me just breaks.

It´s a deep emotional-physical pain unlike anything else...

It´s the pain of watching someone suffer,

The pain of watching the struggle to endure,

The pain of wanting to take it all on myself -

and being denied.

When she loses her smile

the whole household searches for ways to bring it back -
Through humor, kindnesses, prayer, physical touch

But it is in vain.

Sometimes we can coax a little half-smile out of her weary body

But sometimes whole days pass & I don´t see it...

I turn my face and cry my pain, her pain, our family´s pain -

All because of the absence of a smile.

When she loses her smile

I also think of so many other children around the world

who have lost their smile, too.
Some for reasons too terrible to mention.

Some of them may never get their smile back.

There is such unbelievable suffering in this world 

we cannot take it in or even begin to bear it.

When she loses her smile,

I pray for them, too.

Oh, Lord!  You say there is a certain fellowship in our sufferings

A holy communion with You, the God of all Comfort

You say there is purpose and good,

You say there is character and perseverance built,

You say there is a future ability to be a hope-bearer for others.

Please let her see this,
and understand it in a way only a fellow-sufferer of Yours can...

and please,

please let it bring her a smile.

Photo by:  Anton S.