it’s been a tough week, mourning the death of my friend but even in the midst of all that; I have been learning. Another friend recognising my pain sent me a podcast which discussed the term ‘lament’. The dictionary definition of lament means to ‘express sadness about something’, but the biblical definition is much more than that. It means literally to sigh, to mourn and grieve, a realisation. Laaaament.
A realisation that things are not as we thought they were, that maybe we are not as secure or ‘sorted’ or as ahead of the game as we think, a reminder perhaps of our fragility and how nature will endure.
How true that is of our lives today?
I think on many levels we are actually lamenting; when we think about the pandemic, the A level debacle, black lives matter etc we realise that actually we are not where we thought we were or how we thought we were. Instead we are lamenting the mess, the struggle, the new fear but lamenting is not hopeless for it brings about a realisation of what truly matters. Rather than pursuing materialism, wealth or personal gain instead a period of lamenting invites us to remember family, love, connection, nature, balance, what matters. Humility.
But to lament and learn you must first feel the pain.
So, I continue to lament the loss of my friend understanding that my life will never quite be the same but rejoicing in what we had and ensuring that my other friendships continue to be treasured.
Go on, sigh it out “Laaaament” then hug those you love.