In a fallen world, hospitals are perplexing places. They can represent the very best of times, such as the birth of a child, and the very worst of times, as with the death of a loved one. Indeed, life and death are so often held in the palms of a simple hospital bed.

I did not know Charlie Kirk; I never had the opportunity to meet Charlie Kirk; and, to be quite honest, Charlie didn’t rank highly among the conservative voices I find myself regularly listening to. I’m not even American. Though, I did frequent his content more than occasionally and I respected him deeply. All that to say, Charlie Kirk and I were not friends; but as two souls united to Christ through faith, he and I were and are brothers.

Life is filled with empty chairs, is it not? Grief feels most fresh when the milestones of life begin to pass us by.