Why Did Hashem Do This?

A young man died in a terrible boating accident. His mother, who was not religious, was crushed by grief, and she walked into a shul for the first time ever to put the oldest of questions to Rav Pincus. Why had Hashem done this to her?

Rav Pincus replied immediately and without hesitation. He asked her whether, during the eighteen years that she had her son and loved him, she had ever once thanked Hashem for such a gift. He knew that she had not, and he told her that perhaps, had she done so, the boy would not have been taken.

He then made clear that he had no wish to add to her pain. His aim was for her to see how much she still had: other children, and a good life. She had much to be thankful for, he said, and she should begin to wonder why Hashem had given her all these blessings, and give thanks for them while she still had them and the time had not run out.