True Grace

What a beautiful young woman she was, eyes so bright, smile so strong. My heart was pained at a life so young, only twenty-five, gone so soon.  The dad stood to face the crowd of faces who had come to grieve and  say we love you; we loved her. How would he respond?

With gratitude, he surveyed those who had gathered and his heart was full. With adoration, he talked about his little girl who had been swept suddenly from his life. No hint of anger at the Giver of life, no time for bitterness. His testimony was one of joy of the time shared and a witness to the love of God who was “there when she was born and was there when she died.”

With grace, he shared the sweet memories of twenty five energetic years of one he loved so dearly helping each of us to recognize the brevity of life. He gave a new perspective to time realizing that from God’s view, whether twenty-five or seventy-five, life here on earth is brief. So we should live each moment with the recognition that today may well be the last day of our life and act as if it is the first day of our life.

Peace resonated from his face and you knew that this calmness, this comfort was not his own, but from a source far greater than any strength mortal man could muster. Recognizing her life as a gift to him, we all realized that truly he was a better man for being a part of her life. There are many others who will carry on her legacy-students, friends, a sister, a mother, who each time they see a horse or a work of art or a favorite song will be mindful of the beauty that touched their life. They will smile from the heart while a stray tear or two may paint their face for a while.

Grace is the demonstration of love beyond measure. Parents of grace walked away from the altar on which they had laid their precious child today. Grief bred no regrets, only love spoken aloud.

True grace came my way today. And I am so much the better person for being its witness. May God bless these parents. May God give us all grace. 

February 28, 2006