A Note About Powerlessness

Someone I knew just committed suicide. If I were to carry the metaphor out further- would I say that that person lost the war? In the aftermath of tragedy like this all my words fail me. What could I possibly say? What could I possibly do? I cannot make it right. I cannot turn back time. I am powerless to help those left behind. And I feel a great pain and sadness that makes me think maybe I should take the problem of evil more seriously- perhaps not for the philosopher, mind you, but for the grieving parent, for my friends.

I have always expected life to turn out bad. I have always wondered why some expected otherwise. But what parent could hope for anything but good things for their child? There are so many things in life we might wish to understand. There are so many things that we do not. Today and for a time I will mourn. Today and for a time we will all mourn. That, at least, makes sense.