The news today holds mourning and disaster side by side—crowds gathered to honor the dead, storms gathering force toward the vulnerable, children going without education as resources flow elsewhere, species disappearing as their habitats vanish. There is a rhythm to these events that feels beyond our management: seasons we cannot negotiate, tides we cannot reverse. The Preacher reminds us that there are times appointed for breaking down and building up, times we do not choose. On a day when so much feels urgent and chaotic, there may be wisdom in pausing to recognize what lies within our power and what does not—and to grieve what we cannot prevent, with the patience that comes from knowing we are not the first to face loss, nor will we be the last.