Reaching Out

Colin,

I was given the opportunity today to reach out to someone and help them cope with the death of a little girl from SIDS. Strangely enough, I felt absolutely fine in reaching out to this person and talking about all of the crazy, angering, frustrating, horrific, and miserable things that will come after such a tragedy. It was strange in a few ways. Here I am, your Daddy, still intensely grieving your death, lending words of "wisdom" (or at least experience) to someone else who is trying to support their very close friend who is now part of this terrible club. It is also strange that a few other SIDS related things happened today as well, college fund refund paperwork, the SIDS race flyer arriving in Mommy's then my inbox, and Mommy's support group meeting yet to happen tonight. It felt like National SIDS Awareness Day (it actually falls on October 15) was happening right in front of Me and your Mommy. The final thing that made it strange was that this was the first time I got to be the "teacher" when it comes to SIDS and how to cope and not cope with the aftermath. So many people from near and afar have helped me in ways I may never be able to repay, but today I got to "pay it forward"...as the expression goes, and it felt good and right to be able to reach out to someone I never knew existed before today. Hopefully my words and my advice will give them and those they love the tiniest bit of peace. I know that just being able to help in any way gave me a little.

Love you,
Daddy