Griefbeyondbelief.org is in Beta Testing until June 19, 2014
Feel free to peruse, but please don’t be upset by features that don’t work yet. We are working out the kinks so that the website will be ready for its formal launch on June 19th, 2014. If you tried to login today through social media, for example, it may not have worked. Mark and I were working together on getting a new login system set up and I had a midday fight with my Twitter registration.
And…well…today, June 9, is my son Jude’s birthday. He would have been five. It feels good to be working on this project on his birthday. And it feels terrible to be polishing up a grief support website when I wish I was making a cake and recycling wrapping paper. It’s the never-ending emotional push and pull of learning to live with grief. One moment I feel happy and productive in the life I lead now, particularly this project, which feels like one of the best things I’ve ever done. And the very next moment I’m thinking, “But I would never be here doing this if my son had lived!” What does it mean that the best thing came from the worst?
(Believers might explain this by saying that this is God’s plan for me. I personally think any God who could only make one of his creations do good things by putting her through the agony of losing a child wouldn’t be worth much. If you think about it for even a minute, you see the flaw in the logic there: Either he couldn’t do it without causing suffering, which would negate the “omnipotent” part of the definition of “god,” or he could, but didn’t. Which would make him either stupid or a sadist.)
Knowing that Jude’s death was a step on the path here doesn’t make his death any easier to bear. But knowing that this is the path I chose to take, hand in hand with my grief, makes my life today easier to accept. And all the love I got today from my family and friends and the Grief Beyond Belief community helps too.
Happy birthday, Jude.
Thanks for your patience with my grief digression, folks. Hope the site is worth the wait. In the meantime, check out the awesomeness of the Library.
5 responses to “Griefbeyondbelief.org is in Beta Testing until June 19, 2014”
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I never feel like Jude is a digression from what we’re about here. While I wouldn’t wish that source of inspiration on anyone, I’m very impressed and grateful that you have taken your grief and not just shared it and your son with others, but done so in a way that makes it okay for others to do the same. I thank you for you (since I have no reason to thank God.)
About the tech stuff, I’ll just add my ditto. There’s still some wrinkles to iron out, but we’re getting closer. Thanks to everyone for their patience, assistance, and support.
Thank you so much for setting up this website. The Grief Beyond Belief Facebook page has been a lifeline for me, and now we have another wonderful resource. I know you will be ruthless with the trolls who land here–you’ve clearly stated the mission and rules.
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First and foremost, I deepest sympathies on the loss of your son. My brother had a liver disease shortly after birth and was in and out of the hospital most of his youth (having had a liver transplant in 1989 at age 15). I have, unfortunately, known too many families that have lost children at young ages. I have seen (but do not know) the great pain and sorrow losing a child brings. I can only hope that as time passes, the pain eases some and you cherish the precious moments you were able to have with Jude without bearing much of the pain of his loss.
As far as “God’s plan” is concerned, it reminds me of the famous quote attributed to Epicurus, “If he is willing, but not able to prevent evil, then he is not omnipotent. If his able, but not willing, then he his malevolent. If he is both willing and able whence then is evil? If he is neither willing or able, why call him god?”
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