Empty Arms

My niece gave birth to her first child on Saturday; a beautiful baby girl; 9 lbs. A much anticipated new grandbaby for my brother. On Sunday morning, sweet little J inexplicably stopped breathing and could not be revived. I wept at the news. I wept for my brother. I wept for my ohana. But most of all, I wept for my niece. I can understand the sadness of miscarriage by experience. I have been there. But, there are no words of comfort for a young woman who carried a perfectly healthy baby to full-term, labored and delivered, took her, in joyous pink wonder, home, only to lose her and go back home with empty arms, to make funeral arrangements.

I am without words and my heart is broken for her. I could only say "I love you".