When tragedy occurs in a small town, it’s a ripple across the delicate surface of our community.

Maria Massey’s disappearance after a car accident in late November prompted search parties and networking to find her. After her body was discovered on Thanksgiving, it left her friends and family in a state of shock.

When something like this happens to a well-known, young community member, it’s distressing. In this case, it went even deeper, as the incident involved local police, emergency responders and dozens of volunteers who trekked through the woods to find her during a holiday week.

In the aftermath of something like this, we hug each other a little more and say things like, “Please drive carefully tonight.” We think about life’s fragility. We reach out to the grieving family members, we drop off flowers at the crash site. Maria’s Facebook page has been flooded with loving messages about her acting and singing talent, her zest for life and her smile.

Living in a tight-knit island family means that you know everyone – even if you’ve only said a few words in passing or reveled in someone’s talent from afar.  We experience grief together. We are one beating heart that has to mend itself, minute by minute, day by day.

As we mourn the loss of a vibrant young woman, we can take solace in our island fellowship. Even though it means we feel pain more acutely, it means never having to face the darkness alone.