Letter to a Friend in Despair.

I wrote a couple of days ago about a fine young man who succumbed to a long battle with leukemia. Unfortunately, one of the girls that were very close to him, and also my son's girl, is bearing the loss in a hard way.

I sent her what I hope were comforting words. I then realized that others may be feeling the same way. So I share what I told here with you...

Hi Alex.

I'm so sorry that we are all so far away from you right now. I know that you are hurting for Danny Record. It's so hard to come up with the right words right now to help you... because even if you are Christian it seems so unfair that somebody so young was taken from us so soon. It's hard for a young person such as yourself to accept. And that's OK.

I don't normally talk like this to even my wife, but I want you to know that I'm entirely confident that Danny and you and I will all meet again in that wonderful time when the Kingdom of God is restored on this earth. And when we see him next, he will be free of the pain and suffering that he endured in this existence. I take much solace in this firm belief that Danny is not lost to us.

But much more immediately, I try to remember all the wonderful things that Danny did or who he was. I remember him as one of a bunch of Record boys in R.W. Moore, who eventually became Master Councilor of a Chapter. Who impressed people by his stubbornness and obstinate refusal to just lay down and die, so much so that he was made a Master Mason on Sight by the Grand Master of Utah.

I cried a lot on Monday. Alone. It sucks. But remember that we all must eventually be called back to our creator. And that trip back, the release from this existence, is a blessing and not a curse. Therefore, I am happy that Danny's next experience will be in the direct warmth and light of the wisdom of mercy of the Creator.

This is all pretty deep, but I don't want you to despair too much. It is OK to miss him. We all will. But please don't be sad for him anymore. He is beyond the suffering that he endured here.

With lots of love and a virtual shoulder to cry on...

"Dad" Glen