While H1N1 dominates the media’s attention and ours, there is a far more devastating pandemic that never makes the nightly news: loneliness.

Every day I read texts, Facebook updates and listen while people express the pain of their loneliness.

Loneliness takes many forms. Longing to dress up for a party Jeanette sits alone on Halloween. Wishing and hoping that her phone would ring Debbie keeps her cell phone volume on “Outdoor” fearing that she might miss the one call that she might receive. While his lunch table mates laugh about the fun they had the night before David suffers in silence wishing that they would finally invite him to join them.

Tyler Wood’s Funeral Service
September 24, 2009 @ Edinbrook Church

Hi. My name is Scott Volltrauer and I have the incredible privilege of leading this service. As I look around the room I see people who have known Tyler longer, known her more intimately and loved her more deeply than I could imagine. To each of you I ask you to be patient with me as we reflect together on Tyler’s life.

Tyler’s Life

Special Memories

We do not have an open mic today so let me share more than forty of the hundreds of notes I read online. I know these words speak the words many of you would say:

Tyler, I miss u with every ounce of me!
This is beyond too sad…
She was a wonder. Beautiful inside and out.
I miss her so much.
We miss you.
She is an amazing person and I will keep saying that forever and ever.

I loved you so much Tyler I will always remember you and you will live on in my heart forever and ever.

What Good, If Any, Can Come Out Of This Tragedy?

Tyler’s gone. Let yourself grieve. Grieve the way you want to. There are no rules.

Even Jesus – the Creator of the heavens and the Earth – cried when his friend died.

What good, if any, can come out of this tragedy?

We will each react differently. Some of you hurt deeply, some not, some recover quickly, some not. Some cry, others scream, still others stuff their feelings. To each of us I offer this simple advice I try to live: Say all your “I’m sorry”s, all your “thank you”s and all your “I love you”s every day.

Parting Words

I know Tyler left a great impression on us. Tyler was outgoing and popular and after looking around the room she loved many different kinds of people. Some of you are seeing old friends. Others of you are seeing people you don’t know, don’t like or may have been hurt deeply by. Some of us have deep and hurtful regrets of “what-if…”, “If only I had…” or “I so sorry I…”

Please leave them here. You cannot change what you have done!