Reflections of the fragility of life

Sometimes life is a little hard to fathom. What is it that makes one little boy, apparently no different from any other, susceptible to infection by a normally benign strain of bacteria? Not long ago, he was swimming in a lake, having a grand old time; now, he's fighting to stay alive. Despite radical treatment, he may not make it. Take a look at the article describing what doctors have done so far in an attempt to quell the spread of the necrotizing pathogen. You can also take a look at the video below for a summary of the article and to hear the boy's father speaking with reporters.



In considering the case of this poor kid, I think there are a couple of things to consider. First, medically speaking, this is a bit of an enigma. Why should a normally harmless bacteria suddenly become highly virulent? Were there any early warning signs that should have suggested something was wrong? Were there any promising treatments that may have been less radical than the one the doctors chose? Have they analyzed the strain currently living at the bottom of the lake and compared it to the one rapidly consuming this young boy's body? Are others at risk? I think in any case it's probably a pretty safe bet that not too many people will be swimming in the lake in question in the near future.

The other point that this poignant story hammers home, in my opinion, is to remind us of the fragility, the ephemeral nature of this life. Life is certainly a beautiful and precious gift, but it is as fleeting as a morning mist in the face of a strong breeze. We consider ourselves to be strong, to be tough, to be hardy, and in some ways we are remarkably resilient creatures. Yet all that resiliency can be swept away in the wake of a freak occurrence like this one. But is this really such a bad thing? If we were truly as tough as we like to believe ourselves, if our lives were as permanent as a block of granite, if we did not live at the mercy of our own fragility, we might be tempted to believe that we belong here. We might be tempted to place all our hopes in this world, in this life, did we not realize that our fragility makes us as impermanent as footprints in the sand. This very element of our lives reminds us to put our trust in God rather than in the world, in eternal life rather than mortal life, for all things in this world and this life must come to an end.

Finally, I think it's also worth noting that this little boy's story could have been any one of us. There doesn't appear to have been any rhyme or reason to it. He may die, and even if he survives, he'll be disfigured for the rest of his life. It is a shocking, saddening story, and it should serve as a reminder that each day we're given is a gift. It's so easy to look to the future; I'm as guilty of it as anyone. "Well, when second year starts...when I graduate...when I'm an attending..." But what if something happens and those days never come? From where I sit now, it seems nearly inconceivable; yet, I'm sure that neither father nor son foresaw this ending to the outing at the lake. So let's thank God for His grace in giving us each day, and even as we plan for the future, let us live as best we can in the present, for the future (at least in this life) may never arrive.

So tonight, I ask you this. While the rest of the world is talking about the deaths of three celebrities, please take a moment instead to pray for this young man and his family, that God may grant them peace and healing, and that we may learn the lessons that this tragedy has to teach us.

Peace and God bless!