The Worst Thing

I've heard people say that losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to you.  It's certainly the worst thing that's ever happened to me.  But I've never had cancer.  I've never had to fight in a war.  I've never had to search for the truth of the gospel.

The list is endless.  There are seven billion worst things for seven billion people in the world right now.  There were worst things for every single other person who ever lived.  There will be new worst things for the people who haven't been born yet.  And those are just the worst things.  There are an infinite number of terrible things in every person's life.

The Savior suffered every single one of them.  Every.  Single.  One.

I only know the terrible things in my own life.  But He knows all of those, too.  He knows exactly how it feels to be Hannah's mama, exactly how much I love my baby and exactly how much it hurts to lose her.  But somehow, He still shines.

Hannah only had 13 days in this world.  That was probably her worst thing.  But somehow, she still shines.

I lost my child.  But somehow, I can still shine.

The worst thing in my life doesn't have to be the only thing.  I can't get rid of it, but I can fill up my life with good things.  I can have joy in my life.  I can be grateful for everything I still have and will get later.  I can move forward with purpose knowing that I will see Hannah again.  And that's the best thing.