Let us be thankful that the death of a child is so uncommon…but remember that it is not unheard of. Let us honor the loved ones we have lost.... but not lose ourselves in the process. We have a new understanding that our pain is not unique. Sooner or later, in big or small ways, we all feel pain."Why us?" isn't the question to ask. The question to ask is, "Who do we choose to compare ourselves to? What do we choose to feel—unfortunate, or privileged?"

We don't expect people to die, and we don't expect people not to die. We mourn the ones we have lost, and we celebrate that we had them in the first place. We remember the loved ones who have died, but we never forget that we are still alive… and we have a lot of living left to do.

John Golden, Emily Eaton, Oscar Golden with portrait of Julian Golden
Bloomington, Minnesota

Julian lost his battle with leukemia two weeks before what would have been his 4th birthday.