Living a Life of Love.....

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. -Mother Teresa-



I've been thinking about some things in the news lately. And, I recently watched a documentary and I simply had to share it with you. In my dark days of grief, when I tried to comprehend that God's love was still around me, even in loss, I learned a lot about what I believe in. Grief forever changes the way you look at life. I see that as one of the gifts of the pain, for I feel my view on life and how I live it has grown since losing my child.





For me, faith is about love. I know that sounds too simple for you theology folks, but it is just what I know in my heart to be true. Love; giving it and receiving it, and knowing that our job here on earth is to pass it on. Cause let's face it, we all need some.





Anyhoo, I've been writing about life lately, sequestered in my little corner of the world, and contemplating the lessons I've learned and how I will apply them. That is, in between work, and laundry and keeping my promise to myself of getting in my 10,000 steps per day. I've been struggling a little with it all, moving into this second year without Stephen. Thinking about how I move forward and live, even when a part of my heart remains broken.


And, as I am in this deep thought, I keep looking around, and seeing many examples of things that aren't too lovable. You see, I started to watch some news again, right around 9/11, as I was walking on my treadmill to get those steps in.

And I was assaulted with things that were not at all lovable. A pastor who spread fear, and who was given a platform to do so. A war of words and discrimination about worship and faith that just simply made me sad. 9/11 came and went and I felt this emptiness. I was thinking about the families of those lost on that day, trying to remember their loved ones as they were surrounded by all of this white noise, this distraction of fear and hate. It made me sad as I looked at the pictures of those lost on that tragic day, displaying smiling faces that once wrapped Christmas presents, read fairy tales to their children at bedtime, served a city selflessly, losing their lives while trying to save others. I cried, as I watched mothers without children and children without parents.


To be honest, I kept thinking about what some of those people in the pictures would tell us if they could come back for one day and have a press conference of their own, telling us all that they now knew and understood, after being in heaven with God for nine years.


I wonder would they tell us that the only thing....the absolute only thing that helped all of us to survive the horror of the loss on 9/11 or any loss for that matter was love. What saved all of us is when we helped each other, opened our hearts, and loved one another. Regardless of our differences. Period.


I think they would tell us that we must never forget that lesson.


I wanted to find an example of that love. I found this documentary on Father Mychal Judge OFM. You may recall the now famous photo of the New York Fire Department chaplain being carried out of the rubble on 9/11. It was a heart wrenching image of the end of a life of service. But, it was only a small part of the story of this man who spent a lifetime spreading an unconditional love. His approach to spreading the word was not always aligned with the Church for which he served. But, I believe it was most definitely aligned what God wants for us all here on earth. To love each other. Hope you enjoy it..









Thinking about what you are spreading around today....and have a love filled Tuesday.





Kelly