Today I was leaving a restaurant and a teenage boy was stooped over in front of me in tremendous pain. He struggled to right himself and staggered out the door. I followed, concerned. He collapsed on the ground as I reached for him, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I felt pain radiating off him in waves, desperate emotional pain. I know teenagers can be very expressive, so I clarified, "Are you in physical pain?" I was already dialing 911.

He rolled over, weeping and sat up. I saw he held a phone to his ear. He looked me in the eye with tears rolling down his face. "My friend just died!" he cried.

Shocked, I felt his horror and vulnerability. A crowd began to gather around him of people he knew from inside the restaurant who presumably dined with him.

I felt like I was trespassing in his private moment and stammered, "I'm so sorry for your loss," and backed away to let his friends comfort him, and each other.

I have only witnessed that kind of pain once before, at my mother's death when I told my children she had died. Young people are so open with their feelings.

I desperately wanted to hug this sad, sad boy, but with Covid, it seemed dangerous.

I wanted to stay with him, pray with him and comfort him. I should have. I didn't know him, but I KNEW his pain and how it wrecked him. Someone died that he cared for, even loved. That unexpected absence created a vaccum in his life that his friend will never again fill, at least not on this plane.

We all are witnessing many shocking tragedies, both personally, and collectively, from Covid as well as other reasons. Young people in particular take on grief and wear it like a shroud. That first brush with the death of someone you know and love is overwhelming for them. They need particular care and comfort so they don't act recklessly themselves in response.

This year, many have died. Most of us know of personal loss. We see exhausted healthcare workers facing the death of patients daily. Many of us have lost a grandparent, parent or other extended family member. We've seen death tolls from all over the world. What is going on in India right now is horrifying. Parks filled with pyres burning 10 at a time are multiplied across India, as China did also when COVID first spread.

Depression, suicide, reckless actions from desperate people and just plain sadness and suffering of the ill are taking a toll on all of us. It reminds me of the cumulative pain of 9/11, of war deaths, of conflicts on city streets, of fires, volcanos and hurricanes all at once. We are suffering!

I understand why people are so emotional about so many things triggering us right now. Outrage, emotional outbursts, tears and exhaustion are wearing us out.

There is a desperate feeling of disempowerment when horrors happen unexpectedly and unavoidably. Like with me today, my empathy surged, but there was nothing I could do to take away that boy's pain. I was literally powerless to alleviate it. He would have to feel his feelings and come to terms with loss and the permanence of death, over time. It is the hardest part of life, but a necessary one.

What I wanted to say to him, but instead will say to all of you, is that we will get through this! All this trauma is hardest immediately after it happens, but with time, we can adapt and cope.

Look at how we've adapted to this pandemic! We figured out how to work and learn from home using computers to communicate with one another. We put protections around our elderly and vulnerable, once we understood how this pathogen spread. We bought supplies and equipment to deal with it. And we're still doing it, wearing masks, washing hands, keeping our distance. We are learning how and what we must do.

Yes, there is loss. We've lost jobs, homes and opportunities to gather in person. We've lost some friends, family members and acquaintances. Kids have lost a year of in person school, dances, graduations, proms and school programs. We've missed out on church, weddings, funerals, concerts, holiday celebrations and parties. But there is hope. In many places, things are opening back up a little. And soon, we may begin to return to a version of normal, realizing that things will never be exactly like they were before. COVID is not cured. Nor are any other versions of Coronavirus like MERS and SARS. We must stay vigilant.

One day, we will see again those we love who left us after we too leave this plane. I believe there is a reason we have wiped memories of our soul's time prior to birth in this world. If we truly remembered all of it, we would ache to return to heaven prematurely, and reunite with God.

But first we have work to do here, lifting each other up and training the next generations. We must share our experiences and warn of dangers. We may need to defend ourselves from harm, whether from microscopic threats, or adversaries. We need to work together to correct the problems of the past and try to heal the world. We need to love more, love and forgive ourselves and also one another. Nobody is perfect. We're all just doing our best to cope, survive and hopefully thrive.

Many things that will happen are out of our control. That doesn't mean we should give up trying to make every day a little better. Let your empathy and intelligence guide you. We need to share our sorrows, comfort each other so we can heal and laugh again. God loves us and will welcome your friend into heaven where there is no pain and no sorrow!

At least that is what I wish I had told that very sad young man.