I lost a friend a couple of days ago. Our friendship was uncomplicated…he knew me, I knew him. I enjoyed the time I spent with him and he enjoyed the time he spent with me. We met up two times a week, with a couple of other friends. Sometimes we chatted about family, his new jacket, what he was doing this week. We spent time singing to the Lord together too.

Now he is gone.

Now I have to bury him.

Now I have to sit with his mummy and hold her hand because he was only nine. She promised him that he wouldn’t die. She only wanted to keep her promise.

Now I need to face our other friends when we go horse-riding on Wednesday and he isn’t there. Now I need to explain to my kids choir that our friend won’t be coming any more.

I haven’t known him for very long, but I miss him already. He was just a wee boy.

Life isn’t fair, but God is good and that is our hope for tomorrow.