The Kindness of Presence

"We convince by our presence."
― Walt Whitman

I went to the funeral of a friend's sister this morning.  She died prematurely, leaving behind three children, a mother, a sister and a brother, and numerous other relatives and friends.  As I sat in the crowded church, I thought about how communities come together on occasions like these and how important presence is during these very difficult times.  While nothing can take away the sadness, there is comfort in the presence of others -- both in the moment and then later on when we remember.