All is well. All is always well. . .

It’s not so easy to accept this aphorism.  Particularly when bad news has been passed on to you.  And that’s what occurred in my life this morning.  I heard about the death of a good friend’s spouse.  He was a wonderful man, remarkably joyful and caring.  She is a wonderful woman.  One person is always left behind.  And when that happens,  the rest of us are invited to step up to the plate to remind the survivor that she matters to us.  That she will be thought about and that even though life goes on, the memories of the one who has passed will provide sustenance for all of us.

At a time like this I need to remember that God never gives us more than we can handle, with His help.  That’s the key.  With His help.   I need to also remember that we have been prepared for whatever befalls us, even when we doubt these words.  My spiritual belief system has changed over these many years in a 12 step fellowship.  I no longer believe in death, the way I did as a child.  Instead, I believe our bodies are like suits of clothes that must eventually be laid aside while our spirit, indeed, lives on.  Furthermore, I think the spirits of those we loved and who loved us hover around us forever.  That’s where my comfort comes from on a daily basis.

My friend has lost her husband’s body but not her husband’s presence.  The presence of our loved ones “on the other side”  will comfort us like a snuggly down blanket if we desire.  I surely do.  How about you?