And so it is February—the month of Saint Valentine—when we think about the person we love most. It’s also a good time to reflect upon the very notion of love beyond its romantic form and expression, as the solitary force that transcends time.
Anyone who has lost a loved one knows what I mean—you never stop loving someone, even thoughthey’ve moved on from what is their physical period or phase within eternity. As it has been said, “We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings having a physical experience.”
This past December, my uncle, Stephen Corso—my “Uncle Steve”—passed away. He was ninety-four but still as sharp as a tack. I have written about him in the past; about the impact he had on my life and all the wonderful memories I have of him and my aunt and cousins.
At his memorial service, I was touched by how his daughter, grandson and great grandsons spoke about him; all obviously feeling the heartache of loss, while sharing how deeply they were touched by this man—my Uncle Steve—acknowledging the impact he had on their lives. In hearing their testimonials, I vividly recalled many of those fond memories of which he was a central figure.
Just a few days before he passed, I was fortunate in that I was able to spend some time with him. We both knew that it was likely to be the last time we would see each other in this life, so we agreed to drop any pretense of the inevitable. I asked him if he wanted to pray, and he nodded and whispered “yes.” We prayed and shared a few words. I then left, with what was to be one last, warm memory.
It’s something to think about in this month when the focus is on “love.” As we pass through this plane of physical existence, we cannot help but touch others with our actions and words. And if we choose to empower those words and actions with the one force we possess that transcends time, we can rest in knowing that when its our turn for the next part of our journey, we’ll be leaving a well traveled, clearly marked trail for our loved-ones to follow.
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