I receive Amber alerts by text on my cell phone. When I received the alert cancellation on my phone tonight, I had a bad feeling about the outcome. An adorable little girl, Hser Ner Moo, was found dead tonight in Salt Lake after a full day of searching, and for some reason, this one struck me. I don't know the cause yet or the circumstances, but regardless, it's not the news I hoped to hear.
Tonight, I had been thinking somewhat soberly about the frivolity or relative unimportance of good looks, fashion, a sharp mind, a quick wit, or other things people may or may not have much control over, alont with the supreme importance of simply being the best person you can, full of kindness, purity, honesty, free of guile... I hope I don't distract from or insult her family's grief by writing in relation to her tragedy, and if my timing is awful, I'm truly sorry. I just wanted to say that I doubt anyone is concerned, right now, about whether she was going to be a film star, a prom queen, a Hollywood bad girl, President, or a Nobel Prize winner. This was someone's daughter, someone's sister, a beautiful little girl we all hoped would be found safe and reunited with her family. Something seems so pure about what we feel in relation to a child. I'm not sure why that is so clear in my mind right now, but I wanted to say it. It seems potentially insensitive to be writing an analysis right now, but it also seems important.
Her family is in incomprehensible pain right now. How can I not be mindful of them over myself, for at least a moment? I don't think we ought to live in perpetual somberness over the sorrows around us or expect others to feel exactly as we do when we do. Fortunately, I don't think taking everyone's sorrows upon myself is expected of me. This world is full of tragedy, and there's value in finding the joy we can and enjoying some lightness of heart. I just hope I'm never so absorbed in myself to sincerely feel respect and sorrow for others, including my friends and family, allowing it to bring perspective. This family has a long road ahead, and I will probably be back to business as usual tomorrow morning. I had never heard of this girl until this morning, but her tragedy has brought me to tears tonight and has impacted my life in some small but meaningful way. I hope and pray for peace for her and her family tonight.
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