Like many of the people from around Southeastern Indiana, I had been persistent in searching for updates in the search for Carson Hughes. If you haven't heard about this, Carson Hughes was a wildlife photographer who died on March 15, 2024. He was reported missing on that day, which lead to an extensive search, ending on March 17, 2024 with the recovery of his body at Versailles Lake in Versailles State Park in Versailles, IN. While I didn't know him very well personally, I feel most of the community and a large part of the world were able to get to know Carson Hughes through his photography that he had posted on various social media platforms. He wanted everyone to be able to see the beauty of Southeastern Indiana and Versailles State Park. Especially those in Southeastern Indiana. Carson's loss will leave a huge hole. When I found out about Carson Hughes recovery, there were a lot of emotions running through my head. The foremost one being disbelief. I find it hard to believe that someone that young can be taken from this earth so easily.
Throughout my life, I have been scared of anything fragile. I have avoided taking responsibility for fragile things. If forced to deal with something fragile, it would be a source of constant concern. As I am maturing, I'm realizing just how fragile many of the things I'm dealing with are. Not the least of which is human life. Often times, I take the life I have been given for granted. I have started to ask myself the question, "What hole would I leave in the world if I were to leave it right now?" Have I had a positive impact or a negative one? Looking at Carson Hughes' legacy, he will definitely leave a positive impact on the world. With one picture, he was able to say more about the power of God and made us more aware of what God had given us through his creation. I, like most of the people Carson touched, only knew a certain side of him, but I can still feel a great loss. I can only imagine the loss that those who knew the many sides of Carson are feeling. My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Carson Hughes. Words cannot express all the loss that is going to be felt over the loss of Carson Hughes.
Carson's death is a reminder of just how fragile the human life is. While human life is fragile, it is even more precious. Every life is a gift from God. Every life should be protected because it is sacred. This includes lives in the womb, children's lives, and adult's lives. Human life is not able to be protected against all threats and humans are all mortal, and therefore, we will all die. God only knows the time and the day that we will die. Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection defeated the devil and made it so that death on earth is not definitive. This means that life is not fragile like human life. John 3:16-17 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Not everyone will make it to heaven. Only those who believe in Jesus will make it to heaven. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus says "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." With Jesus' death and resurrection, there is hope to be found in him. Jesus is hope. There is not any hope to be found elsewhere.