I learned that the child of one of the women I know from Hipmama, was dying from a tumor.

It was a shock, as he didn't know he had the tumor.

He was in his early 20's, by all accounts an excellent boy.

I don't know his mother.  I know of her.

She is the sister of a woman I know.

The sister is a good aunt, one of those aunts you wish you had.

Once that cares and is invested. 

Naturally she is devastated, over her nephew.

The good thing about belonging to a mothering support group for 15 years is the support.

This family has a lot of good support.

They have some lame support too, like me saying "I'm so sorry!" about a thousand times.

I thought about sending my father to the funeral.

He lives nearby.

I thought a proxy funeral attender might be a good gesture.

That is the kind of absurd thing that goes through my mind.

I will send some money, a small donation to help with the costs.

I wonder how people go on after losing their children?

I think about what would happen, if you were just too sad to go to work. 

Surely it happens?

I suspect I would be the person too sad to do anything, which would mean poor Mark, would have to take care of things, like the light bill and cat food.

Who buys the cat food when your child dies?

That is what I have been thinking of since Friday when I heard about the whole thing, how does the profound and the mundane work itself out?