There are no winners
Abusiness owner taking a few shortcuts in training; a driver entertaining a few careless seconds; a bus full of young men pursuing their dreams; and one horrible, life-altering crash.
It has been re-played vividly through the week in a crowded courtroom in Humboldt. Anger, loss, despair and grief, mixed with understanding, forgiveness and mercy as victim impact statements, one after another have been tearfully read. How does one measure the depth of loss in a situation like this?
One thing is clear, no matter the outcome, there are no winners. Whether the young driver and eventually the owner of the trucking company serve one day or one hundred years in jail, justice, however served, is a hollow outcome.
The sentencing hearing has once again touched the heart of our nation. The current stirring lacks the shock of the initial tragedy but it is very real, just as sobering, and it is a rare Canadian who has not once again felt his or her heart freshly moved.
What does one do with this fresh emotion? The donations, memorials, hockey sticks on doorsteps, ribbons and expressions of care so obvious last April seem unnecessary in this moment. What is an appropriate response to tragedy 10 months later?
An appropriate response might be expressed on two levels. First, don’t resist the urge to express your renewed support for the grieving families. There is sometimes a reluctance to express care, believing it will open wounds. Nothing could be further from reality. In grief one of the greatest fears is that a loved one will be forgotten.
A brief expression of care is always appropriate. As a nation we were open about “Praying For Humboldt,” last spring. Those prayers are as desperately needed today as ever. Don’t hesitate to forward a card or email through the team.They have done a remarkable job of sharing the support with those most impacted.
Mailing address: Box 1414 Humboldt, Sask., S0K 2A0 or: hbroncos@sasktel.net.
Occasionally people express anxiety over what to say or do on behalf of those who are grieving. The best advice is to say very little. A simple expression that you care and that they and their loved ones are not forgotten is all that is needed.
On another level, I urge you to not let this tragedy pass without personal reflection. How has your life changed because of that horrible moment last April? Perhaps you vowed to not take your loved ones for granted. Do you need to review that vow? Perhaps you pledged to increase your vigilance in your own driving habits or other activities that could put others at risk. Has that vigilance diminished over time? Even in assigning appropriate guilt to both the driver and trucking company it is a stark reminder that, “there but for the grace of God go I.”
My heart breaks for those most deeply impacted by the events of April 6, 2018. To re-live the experience again this week in court has been, as one dad described it, “the second most difficult experience of his life.” One more time, let’s put “Prayers for Humboldt” near the top of our agenda.
Tim Schroeder is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Kelowna.