This weekend was marred with loss. On Friday, the first day of Rosh Hashanah, for our Jewish neighbours, the world lost an incredible woman —Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg or also known as RBG. If you are unfamiliar with her name do a little google search.

Though she was an American, we Canadians are able to recognize the effects and influences from our neighbours to the south. Known as the “Lioness of the Law”, RBG, among other things, fundamentally changed the Supreme Court’s approach to women’s rights.

When I heard the news, I immediately texted my daughter Emily who for years has had a picture of RBG hanging on her wall. The picture is a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of strong women who have gone before us to advance the cause of equality under the law. For me personally, as a woman in a male dominated profession, I am grateful for the tenacity, strength and courage of RBG and women like her, who have made my journey that much easier.

Then on Sunday evening, I received news of the sudden death of a colleague. His wife and I graduated with our Doctorate at Knox College, University of Toronto, together.

Brian and I were in a heated discussion about something completely and totally insignificant when we were interrupted by the news. Suddenly what we were nattering about hardly mattered. Everything narrowed, my heart ached for my school buddy and I looked across to Brian with renewed gratitude.

Life is fragile. We are here one moment and gone the next. The psalmist writes, however long we live, our years “quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). And so, we must pray, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (v12) so that we may live a life of gratitude with gratitude.

I am comforted and inspired by the words of Henri Nouwen who said;

Death is part of a much greater and much deeper event, the fullness of which we cannot comprehend, but of which we know that it is a life-bringing event. . . . What seemed to be the end proved to be the beginning; what seemed to be a cause for fear proved to be a cause for courage; what seemed to be defeat proved to be victory; and what seemed to be the basis for despair proved to be the basis for hope. Suddenly a wall becomes a gate.

In the midst of whatever it is you are going through — whatever crisis, tension, or fear — my prayer for you and for me is to remember that our time, no matter how long we live will “quickly pass” and as Christians death is not to be feared, and life is to be lived (and remembered) with gratitude.