Little Layla Grace: Empathy in Twitter Time

This morning, I was rushing out of the house to drop off my daughter to school when I saw a tweet that captured my attention because it expressed sadness and had some celebrity names associated with it.

So, I linked over to the blog and in 30 seconds read a few lines about 2 year old Layla Grace's mom rushing to get photos taken of her dying daughter. Being late to get my own daughter to school, I quickly re-tweeted the link and rushed out.

Because, you see, that's what seems to happen these days with Twitter and Facebook and (dare I say Intent) and all my online tools. The death of an Olympian, a post earthquake story from Haiti, a trainer who dies at Sea World. 140 characters, perhaps a link, that emotes a moment of empathy. Just requiring a moment of my attention, and then on to the next thing. The re-tweet, a donation to a worthy non-profit, and I feel a sense of being involved, doing something, supporting someone, making a difference in my time crunched, busy day.

But today, something shifted. Little Layla Grace stayed with me. I rushed around all day - school drop off to meetings to school pick up to errands to after school activities to dinner to bed time. And all day that little girls story, her mothers words about how they only had her for a few weeks and it was urgent to get photos haunted me.

Perhaps its because the last few days I have been awed by my daughters - you know how as parents sometimes the every day becomes the miraculous when you just realize how cute and amazing your kids are. I have had a week like that - just been taken with my daughters. So somehow this story just stuck today...

And, this evening I found that instead of taking ten efficient minutes to peruse twitter to get a quick fix of what's happening this instant, I immersed myself into the story of Layla Grace and her family. And, I gave them my full attention, my tears, my emotions. I took time to really feel sadness, empathy, love. I thought about watching your child suffer from cancer - Layla Grace has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. I thought about my own cousin afflicted with cancer, about friends who have lost children, about loss and love and miracles and hope. I stroked my little ones hair as she quietly snored in her sleep, reading Layla Grace's mothers words about her daughters impending death.

"She has managed to do more Godly works in her short 2 years on earth than most people do in 80. I take comfort in the fact that when she returns home, she will be greeted by the Lord and hear "Well done good and faithful servant"."

And while the barrage of tweets flash on my screen, I know that this little girl has moved me in a way I cannot express. That somehow I feel connected to a family who lives far away, whose story I do not know, but for whom my heart is full of love and empathy.

And I pray that, Layla Grace, little angel, finally sleeps well and flies with abandon when she joins those angels laughing and playing in a world we can only imagine.

To read about Layla Grace, visit http://laylagrace.org and you can follow her moms tweets at http://www.twitter.com/laylagrace.

To read more articles by Mallika Chopra, visit Intent.com.

 

 

 

Follow Mallika Chopra on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mallikachopra

Comments

[babywillk]

11:37 AM on 03/04/2010

Thank you for writing this, little Layla Grace and her family have affected me in a way that I never imagined. I've read horrible heartbreak­ing stories before, you say a prayer, hope that God touches them, and you go on. But Layla Grace is in most of my thoughts these days, maybe it's her beautiful blue eyes, her innocent face, or maybe it's because I have a child now and I see my son in her face. I pray for her and for her family almost hourly that they are able to come through this time in their lives. But the biggest thing for me is how Layla Grace has changed my life in an immense way. I am trying to be more like this tiny little girl, to be brave, to face an uncertain future, to do what God wants me to in the shortest amount of time. And I try to be like her mother and father that grieve but are still able to see God's plan for this little girl and for them. I don't know if I would have the strength, but I'm going to try because of them. Because of this little girl, because of her family, I see God more clearly and seek him more. Thank you

[Stephanie Kyser Muzi]

06:51 PM on 03/01/2010

My husband & I were talking about the severe pain that she has experience­d, and I posed this question: "If God wants her with Him, why does it have to be so painful? We all know that when you pass in your sleep, it isn't painful. When you die instantly from a gunshot wound or car accident, it's not painful. Is Layla's pain part of God's plan? Is this Satan's way of butting in?" Marc's answered: "We all see how Layla has reached people across the world. She has brought Christ Followers to their knees, and she has shown others the path to personal relationsh­ips with God. She has brought parents closer to each other, giving them better appreciati­on for the craziness that is childhood. She has helped families in the same fight cope. IF she passed by way of one of the afore-ment­ioned 'painless deaths', people would grieve her loss and love and support her family, but she would be 'LaylaGrac­e, the little girl who died'. Because of her fight, because of her pain, she is impacting the world. She will be forever known as 'LaylaGrac­e, the little girl who changed lives'! We firmly believe that because of this, REVIVAL is taking place, and LaylaGrace will be one of the faces of Pediatric Cancer Research in the years to come. I pray for her peace and comfort every minute of every hour of every day, and I pray to THANK GOD for LAYLAGRACE MARSH!

[SweepsCat713]

01:51 AM on 03/01/2010

Beautiful article. I have followed the story of Layla Grace for months, on her blog and twitter. My heart breaks for this sweet child and her family. I pray for a swift, painless and peaceful transition for this little angel. No one who has followed this story, will ever be the same. We are better people, because of Layla Grace. We all love you Layla. Thank you for coming into our lives, we will never forget you. In the words of Eric Clapton...­.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind.

Fly with the angels sweet one!

[MamaMaryShow]

01:11 AM on 03/01/2010

This is a beautiful post that has me weeping. The tears started when I read a tweet a few minutes ago about little Layla's shallow breathing. I am all too familiar with that shallow breathing as I witnessed my father die from cancer 9 years ago. And as I reflect back to that time in my life, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that this Layla Grace is a precious little 2 year old. I am moved by the words of all the tweets going around about her, as well as those from her father on the comment above. I pray for a swift, painfree transition for this sweet little girl.

[TheEditor Dialinghome]

01:05 AM on 03/01/2010

We share your prayers, Mallika. How kind of you to take the time to write this article and express your sentiments­. It is a wonderful, positive use of technology when we can all connect and support those who need it most at the time when they need it most. As a mother of three, I am compelled to speak up and add my voice to all of those who express their love and support for Layla and her family. Praying for strength, grace, and peace for all of them as they continue this journey, together and apart.

[Ryan Marsh]

12:48 AM on 03/01/2010

Mallika, thank you for posting such a kind article. Layla is my daughter.
I came back from Iraq a jaded, cynical, cliche of a war vet. The outpouring of love and support for Layla, despite living in the days of 140 characters­, has opened up my heart to humanity once again. We are blessed to have shared her with the world.