Where there is love...

No one knows how long they will live. No one knows the moment that breathe will stop and death begin. But living in the present moment, no matter how happy or sad brings peace into our lives.

I woke up this morning to have my cup of tea and read the tag at the end of the teabag. “Where there is love, there is no question.” I was struck by the truth of that statement. A number of people I love are sick these days, my mother, mother-in-law, a friend from grammar school. And, I just received a call that my last living aunt passed away. Some might say that the older people in our lives have led a good life. Their death, when it comes, was expected. And that might be true, but facing the death of a loved one is never easy. It is especially shocking when people your own age begin to die. You see death on television every day and somehow all the shooting and medical emergencies don’t seem real. Sometimes nothing seems real until it happens to you personally. But where there is love, life and death seem easier – more acceptable.

I’ve spent the last ten days visiting my mother-in-law. She’s 92 and her health is failing. She lives hunched over in a wheelchair and sleeps in a hospital bed with metal railings. Her legs are the diameter of a small tree branch, and you can clearly follow each vein in her arms and legs. Her entire body is extremely frail. There are times that she’s confused from mini-stokes suffered over the years, but when she smiles, the entire room comes to life. Being with her, listening to her stories, experiencing the moments, gave me peace and a better appreciation for my own life. Where there is love, there is no question.

My mother is 85 and doing quite well for someone with Emphyzema, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Even though she shuffles around with the assistance of a walker and an oxygen tank 24/7, she still remembers my name and smiles when I come to visit. Where there is love, there is no question.

My aunt passed away the other day at the age of 80. I haven’t seen her in many years and wasn’t aware that she had experienced a major stroke on the left side of her body. But when I got the news of her death, I also learned that she spent Christmas Day at home with her sons and their families. Where there is love, there is no question.

Yesterday, I received an email from a long-time friend, recounting her tale of being in ICU on Christmas Eve, having her gallbladder removed and later discovering stones lodged in the valve of her pancreas. This on top of heart disease. A life threatening moment for sure. But now she’s home, surrounded by her family. While she’s still very sick, she’s looking forward to the New Year. Where there is love, there is no question.

So whether your holidays are happy or sad, feel the love in your heart. Embrace the love that surrounds you. Live each moment as if it where your last and remember. Where there is love, there is no question.

Happy New Year everyone.