19 May: An Infant Brother's Grave - So What *is* Life all About, Anyhow?

Today, my mother and I drove to Brandon, Manitoba, to visit my infant brother's grave.  Darren James Weiten was born 23 October, 1967, and died 2 days later.  He had a blood hook-up condition, was a "blue baby", and in those days, did not have any prospect of survival.

19 May 2013 - putting the toys back onto Darren's grave

Sandy and I stopped and found the grave last summer, when driving back from a ham radio swap meet at the International Peace Gardens.  It was her idea to put a toy car on the gravestone - and artificial flowers - to celebrate the tiny life that the stone is a monument to.  I salute you, Sandy - only a mother could have any understanding of the pain of such a loss, even if you have not felt it yourself.  Later that same day, she decided that pinwheels would be appropriate to add, but I didn't get a picture of them on that day.

17 August 2012 - Sandy and I initially put toys on Darren's grave

Two months later, while pondering my personal future, I drove alone to Brandon and back.  I went to the gravesite, and discovered that all trinkets & toys & things would be cleared the next day, as part of their fall clean-up.  I took the articles and put them away to put back this spring.

14 October 2012 - I go for a drive to think things over, pick up items just before fall cleanup

I've often pondered the meaning of life.  Why does one child get lucky, survive the problems of infancy, and go on to live to an adult?  Why is another stillborn?  Why is another born, only to die a few short days later?  And why would a child be taken from us while a teen, or an adolescent, or...?

This just seems to be somehow unfair.  Just like it is unfair that some are afflicted with mental illness; others with tumours and physical ailments; and some of us just hurt each other with our words and actions.

I've decided that such questions will never be answered while we ourselves are mortal.  When we've met our infinity, our maker, hit the singularity (as engineers like to say), then perhaps we shall understand.