Daniel

I have been having a hard time getting to sleep at night. I have never had this problem, so naturally, I am really bugged. The moment I lay down, my brain starts buzzing about EVERYTHING. It doesn't even have to be stressful stuff, just stuff and it won't shut off. Last night, I finally fell asleep around 3am after laying in bed tossing and turning for hours. It has been this way for the past month. I have tried several things, but my new idea is to write down the things that are on my mind so that maybe, they will leave me alone at night.
One such thing is my neighbors loss of their son. This past fast Sunday, our bishop had asked us to fast as a ward. Not for anything in particular, but just for ward members. He had never asked this before, but sure. So fast Sunday comes and we are all sitting in Relief Society etc., when a member of the bishopric comes in and breaks down in tears for several minutes before he can even get a word out. Finally, he tells us that a family in our ward by the name of Cope had just had their baby rushed to the hospital because he was not breathing when the mother went to check on him. It was supposed to be this little boys blessing day. This family has 3 little girls and this was finally their little boy. One (or more?) of the girls had woke up sick so the mother and children had stayed home. The mother had spent the morning frustrated by having to miss the blessing day because of the sickness. She was making lunch and the husband came home to check on the family after sacrament meeting. The mother went upstairs to check on the napping baby and he was not breathing and hadn't been for some time.
Long story short, the baby was revived, but had been without oxygen for quite some time. They were able to get him life flighted to Salt lake and he was able to be around long enough for his dad to give him a name and a blessing and for the parents to be able to hold him while he passed. He died that night at 11:10. At the funeral, the father said that "we were all fasting and praying for a miracle. I want you to know that for a time, we received that miracle. We were able to hold him and have the sacred experience of holding him warm and alive while his spirit left his body."
I have spent many hours thinking about this family. Especially the mother, who is from Venezuela and who did not have any family here to support her. Who was nursing the baby and was I am sure suffering emotionally and physically by not being able to feed her baby any longer. To not be able to hold her baby anymore. To have to leave the hospital empty handed and return home to see his crib, clothes, blankets etc. My heart has ached for her. I don't have a real close relationship with her, but have wanted so badly to help her. Yet there is nothing that will heal that pain, but time and help from the Savior. I went to visit her. It was a little awkward, but it was healing to me to be able to hug her and cry with her. Now that the funeral has been over for a few days, how do I help this family now? I hope that I can be worthy of the spirit so that when they need something I will be able to receive promptings and help.
So hard to see suffering at the holiday time. The father also said at the funeral though, that it is nice to be able to remember their son at the same time that we remember the Savior. It is a reminder not to take a moment with our loved ones for granted. To be more patient and loving. In this way, little Daniel has taught all of us in his short life.