Grief Is Like a Wave

Like a wave, the memory of what happened to Charlie—and how he responded, the look in his eyes, the sway of his body—washes over me again and again. It comes, it crashes, it recedes, and then it comes again. It is so very surreal.

I’ve been impacted by what took place last Wednesday at a deeper level than I could have ever imagined. For someone like me—having run my own campaign, traveled the nation with Vivek Ramaswamy, stepped into countless rooms and met people doing great work—you might think I would be hardened to moments like this. But I am not.

I shared a stage with Charlie early on in my public journey, at Liberty University. I remember meeting his wife back when she was still his girlfriend, traveling with the team. Beyond that, my interactions with Charlie were much like yours: watching from a distance, cheering him on. I did not know him personally. And yet, I never expected to be impacted the way I have been.

The very thought of what happened makes my voice shake, my heart ache, my eyes well with tears. I was surprised not only by the tragedy itself, but by my own response to it. At an event yesterday, I shared a bit of this, and a woman said to me: “That’s grief.” And she was right. I am grieving.

Not only the loss of a young life—cut short in such a horrible way. Not only the loss of a husband, a father, a champion of our values. I am grieving something deeper: a loss for our nation, and a sadness for what our children will inherit.

Charlie was a bright light, filled with goodness and a desire to live out his purpose. Even if I didn’t agree with every word, I admired his courage and conviction. His death leaves me with both personal sorrow and a national sadness for how far we’ve fallen.

But I still believe there is hope. My hope is not in man, but in Christ. “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Psalms 91:2) “Because He is my help, I can sing in the shadow of His wings.” (Psalms 63:7)

So let me encourage you, as I remind myself: feel what you are feeling. Allow yourself to grieve. And let your grief remind you that we are made for more—that even in loss, God is near, and He is still our hope.

Blessings…

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