Woeful Heart

Yesterday, in first grade music class, I was helping the children understand the meanings of the words in 'Fairest Lord Jesus.' "What does woeful heart mean?" I asked. They took a few guesses and none of them came close. I looked at Justin and said gently, "Justin knows what it means to have a woeful heart. He had a brother who died." Justin said, "Oh...it means sad."
"Yes, that's what woeful means. Very, very sad," I said. Another little boy in the room challenged Justin and said, "Your brother did not die." Justin got angry and emotional and said, "Yes, he did!" I too, joined in, and corrected the little boy. Then that same little boy told a sad story about his own grandfather's death.
Justin seemed very upset and I told him I was sorry for bringing it up...that I hadn't meant to make him sad. He said, "I am not upset that you talked about it... I am upset that he said that my brother didn't die." I asked the other little boy to come over and said to him, "Would you tell Justin that you are sorry that his brother died." Readily, he said, "I am sorry that your brother died." Relief flooded Justin's face. I then asked Justin to say to the little boy, "I am sorry that your grandpa died." He did so. "Thank-you," said the little boy.

Something good happened for Justin. I gave the students time to draw a picture with crayons while I let them come up one at a time to explore the piano. Justin showed me the picture he drew. On one side of the paper, he drew his brother's gravestone, with his brother's name etched on the surface. On the other side, he drew a picture of his brother swimming and fishing. I asked, "Was your brother an outdoorsman?" "You could say that," said Justin.
"What are you going to do with your picture," I asked.
"I'm going to take it to where he is buried," he said.

I was worried that I had opened a can of worms with all this.
But, Justin's face was shining, and he seemed truly happy.
Maybe we are too careful when we don't talk about another's loss.
Maybe it was good to remember his brother.
Maybe it was good to hear someone say,"I'm sorry your brother died."
Maybe it was good to hear someone say, "I know you understand what it means to have a woeful heart."

I am still unsure about how this will turn out or if it will be understood.
But, I do know this.
Justin's woeful heart had some healing that day.

And isn't that what the song says?
.." Fairest Lord Jesus...Who makes the woeful heart to sing..."