The heaven I imagine is filled to the brim with overwhelming love. Love that is untainted by the body's frailties, insecurity, worry and fear of loss. On earth, it is love that connects us all, love that enriches our lives and love that makes our hearts sing. In 1 Peter 4.8 he says "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins". It is love that has inspired infinitesimal songs, poems and works of art. Love underpins acts of kindness and compassion and evokes joy.
But love has a darker underbelly. Love on earth is tainted with loss. My heart aches at the loss of my kind, gentle sister, my clever, quirky Mum and the many friends and family I have lost to cancer and other diseases. Love endures after death but it is still painful to not be in touching distance of those I have loved and are no longer with us.
While it is heart-breaking to see the suffering of the people I love, it is incredibly uplifting when I see how indefatigable love is in the face of adversity. A popular reading at weddings is 1 Corinthians 13, "Love is patient, love is kind"..."It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." So, today, and always, I remember all my loved ones, those who are in a better place and those whose struggles continue and I know for sure that love conquers all.
Amanda
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