Balloons for Ryan

I figured out the reason why it is never a good idea to be awake after 9:00pm...because that is when sad news always comes to light. I was browsing instagram just looking to see what my friends had been up to these past couple of days when I saw that an old friend had posted a picture of a little redheaded boy with the underwriting saying how she was sorry for this tragedy that had happened and she was praying for his (the little boy in the picture) mother...my heart stopped. The little boy in the picture couldn't be more than three...four at the most? What had happened? He seemed happy and fine in the photo so what was thir tragedy she spoke of? Well being the curious sucker that I am I googled the hashtag that was #balloonsforryan and found a blog a woman had labeled "Every Parents Nightmare." You think after seeing this headline I would have stopped. I would have realized, if I read this I am going to be an anxious paranoid freak for the rest of my life! But no...I read on. I read about this awful, gut-wrenching story of a little boy who was taken from his parents when he ran into the road to catch a frisbee and was painstakingly hit by a truck. In just a matter of seconds he was gone. My heart ached for his mother and the undeniable pain, panic and anger she felt. How she must have screamed when she saw him running for the street and how helpless she felt knowing she could not get to him in time. Words are useless at this point. I can't even imagine what this small family is going through. I don't even know if or how they are still functioning through life. I grieve for them because they are grieving without the knowledge that they will see their son again. I am not saying that ding* that fixes everything, I am just saying there is solace in knowing that this life is not the only chance we will get to spend with our family and loved ones. Families are eternal. I pray that this woman has the opportunity to hear about how her son will be reunited with her once again, that he is still progressing where he is. He is not lost to the Universe. He is with our Heavenly Father, who will comfort him and love him. I pray that God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ will overwhelm her with feelings of peace and calm and that they will help her to feel the love that they have for her and for her family. I pray that their hearts do not turn to bitterness but to hope and to faith as they mourn the great loss of their baby boy. I hate hearing about these things. And I imagine the people living these tragedies hate even more than I that these things happen. I pray that she see the greatness in humanity when she sees the countless people around the Earth who are pulling together to help her and who are softened and humbled by her loss. I pray that we each hug our own children a little tighter and remember that our life on this Earth could be shorter than we think and we should spend every moment of it spreading love. If Ryan's mom ever reads this I hope she can feel the truth in my words when I say you WILL see your little red-headed boy again and he will be better than you remembered. Until that great day I will pray for your strength, cause heaven knows I would only ever be able to get through something so heartbreaking on borrowed strength. God be with you till you see him again.