To my young friends at Belmont Mennonite Church

Today I am very sad. And I am hurting. Our friend Isaac is sick again and that really stinks. There are no words to describe how awful this is. Sometimes when I feel sad and just awful I don't know what to do, maybe it's the same for you?

Today I remembered that I had a little book on my shelf called "When Someone you Love has Cancer" and I thought I would read it to remind me of some important things, and to share some of those things with you too. 

1. When someone we love is sick, it's not our fault. "People get sick, and that's just the way things are sometimes. Know that you did nothing to bring this on."

2. It's okay to cry. "It's OK to be sad, and it's OK to cry. Crying doesn't mean you're not strong. It's just a way for your body to show you are sad." It's totally OK to cry if you feel like it. And if you don't feel like crying, that's OK too. 

3. It's OK to be mad or afraid. "Even if you know something about it, cancer can still be scary...Being mad or afraid doesn't mean you're being a baby. It just means that there are things going on that are hard to understand, and that's scary for everyone - even grown-ups. Remember, you can always tell them that you are mad or afraid."

4. It's OK to be happy. "There is much to be sad, mad, and afraid about when someone you love has cancer. But there are still things to be happy about, and it's good to remember that too!"

5. Talking helps. "When there are so many different feelings happening around you, it's good to talk to someone to help understand them all better...there are many people who want to hear how you feel: parents, teachers, ministers, relatives."

6. Do something nice. "No one likes to feel bad, and no amount of ice cream can help that. But it helps when people do nice things to show they care...You can help your loved one feel better by doing something nice for him."

7. Say a prayer. "Prayer is asking God to give us, and the people we love, the things we need most...God listens to all prayer, so you can pray in your own way."

Sometimes I have trouble praying with words when I am very sad. I am so glad that there are other ways to pray like lighting a candle for the person who is sick, sitting quietly with God and crying if I need to, holding a stuffed animal, praying in colour (doodling prayer), using my body to show God how I feel, or dancing to let go of all of the sadness that is all in knots inside of me. Maybe some of these things might be helpful for you too or maybe you have other ways of praying.

Today I am praying for Isaac and his family, and I am also praying for all of you at Belmont who are their friends.