Sad news & 30 Days of Creativity - Day 19

While we were gathered to spend time with Dad today, we got word that his brother, our Uncle Ralph, had passed away - suddenly, unexpectedly. Our gathering quickly shifted to supporting Dad as he made some calls and dealt with the news.

My Dad is the best and one of the strongest men I know, and I ache to see him upset. I hate that he had to have this news.

My cousin Jason, Uncle Ralph's only child, is a great guy and a father himself and my heart goes out to him and his family.

I was all knotted up thinking about it on the ride home. I told a close friend. I talked to J. But I needed to post it, let my twitter and facebook circles know that something had happened. And I wondered why. And as well wishes started to come in, I thought about it more. Was I sensationalizing? Posting simply to get people to feel obliged to send well wishes?

I thought it out and my thoughts came out as a poem.

Today I created: a freestyle poem about dealing with tragedy in the social media age.