These Five Words I Swear To You - I'll Be There For You

Piglet sidled up behind Pooh.

'Pooh,' he whispered.

'Yes, Piglet?'

'Nothing,' said Piglet,

taking Pooh's paw.

'I just wanted to be sure of you.'

In the book Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell recounts his story of the failed Operation Redwing. There was a point in the sequence of events when Luttrell lost all communication with the home base. The last words that they had heard from any of the member's of the team was, "My guys are dying out here...we need help." Media outlets caught wind of the story, but not all the details and were announcing sans any military confirmation that all the special ops personnel had been killed. Everyone thought he was dead. The part that I really appreciated was his description of the support that his family received as they waited for final word about Marcus' fate. From the book:

What I did not know at the time but learned later was that everyone thought I was dead...By the middle part of that Tuesday evening, people had begun to arrive at the ranch, local people, our friends, people who wanted to be with my mom and dad, just in case there was anything they could do to help. They arrived in trucks, cars, SUVs, and on motorbikes, a steady stream of families who said the same damn thing: We just want to be with you.

He goes on to talk about the lengths that people went to visit with his family, and they all stayed the almost week long ordeal while they waited to hear any news about Marcus. They had upwards of 200 guests, with a number of accomodations imported to support all the people. I just loved the outpouring of concern for the family.

I've mentioned this before on the blog, but one of my favorite lessons ever taught to me by my best friend is the importance of the lesson to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. I think some of the most beautiful lines in all of scripture are the ones that talk about how our calling is to succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. That's the whole point of the gospel, isn't it?

I love the church because of the emphasis on this doctrine embedded within the very organization of the church itself - a hierarchy of leaders there to support the flock, but also home and visiting teachers, quorums, groups, societies, not to mention families itself. Everything is in place for that very point: we need to be there for each other.

When Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane carrying out the Atonement, he brought with him Peter, James, and John, not because there was anything they could really do and not even because they needed to witness the event necessarily, but because he just wanted them with him. I think that's why he rebukes them, because he simply needs their company while he carried out the most difficult thing any person has ever done. This is why in the book of Luke it mentions that an angel came as he was praying in the garden, to give him succor. Even the Savior needed the support of others.

As recently as this past week or so I've been feeling lonely myself, and I can't say enough how grateful I am to have such good friends and family who are always so keen to my needs. Sometimes we play both roles of being the comforter and being the the one comforted. I remember when everything went down with my mom, and seeing her just fall apart that night as she sobbed like a child on her bed, and knowing that I had to be her pillar. Then, the following morning, as I saw Dave's dad and was about to unload everything on him, before even saying any words he gave me a big hug while I broke down into tears.

Sometimes you have no idea what to say or what it is that you can do. Most of the time it's enough to just be there. That's how any of us ever make it anyway, getting by with a little help...