Perspective

The 19-year-old captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires died suddenly on Monday. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames and was about to enter the playoffs with one of the best teams in Major Jr. hockey.
This type of story puts all other stories about rankings, tournament wins, top prospects, and playoff matchups in their place. In the context of life and death, this other stuff doesn't matter.
The Spitfires rightfully cancelled their game this week and will not name a new team captain this year. Every player in the league will wear a number 18 sticker on their helmet in remembrance.
I have an old T-shirt that says 'Hockey is Life.' Wrong. Life is life and hockey is just hockey.

Same sorta thing goes for church. When you hear that Chris and Ali's baby is hospitalized or Thea has inexplicably fallen ill , stuff about song choices or youth programs or sermon-style preferences seem hella trivial. All I want is my friends and their families to be okay. It's my understanding that both baby Carly (bacterial menangitis but recovering?) and Thea (stomach problems? nerve damage?) will be okay.

All this stuff seems obvious when I think about it now, but I sometimes forget.