During these last days, I have felt heartache for no longer being able to spend regular times with my young grand­daughter. I am learning to put a priority on my own wellbeing by staying safely away while she is with many other children and adults in a summer school program.

Then, today, that heartache is dwarfed by the news of yesterday’s suicide of a young friend’s husband. He leaves be­hind his wife in her early 40s and three children, all under 10 years of age. Given the Covid-19 pandemic, racial struggles, political nightmare, economic despair, environmental fears — and who knows what more — one struggles to guess what, finally, drove this young husband and father to take his life.

Thus, a brief glimpse into the anguish of these days.