Perhaps you have seen the poster entitled: “It was the women who stayed.” Although they differ in the details of who exactly was there, all four of the evangelists report that the apostles fled and a group of women remained when Jesus was crucified. The lesson we can draw from this in our own life: how important it is to have people to share our grief with. Sorrow is such a personal thing we imagine that we have to carry it ourselves. But the example of the women at the cross — and our own experiences of loss — proves otherwise. Having others with us in grief makes it bearable. As the old proverb puts it: Friendship halves our sorrows and doubles our joys.
