Yes, love is tangible.

A lot of times, I had suffered the pain of separation from loved ones though I knew it was going to be only for what it is called a brief period. With years adding to my life and the lives of the ones surrounding me, there were occasions where I had to grieve over a much longer separation that came with the loss of loved ones. I count myself fortunate, to be away from witnessing the scenes of grief brought by death in the extended family and that was for a good reason or may be I am escaping to face the reality. I wouldn’t be able to cope up and recover from that loss.  I know I am not alone and bet its time I’d grow up.

One Saturday morning over coffee with my neighbor next-door in her early 70s, who I refer to as my friend - aunt Celia Solomon, and admire her for the positive personality she is, I happened to be part of God’s plan in comforting her over the loss of her older sister late Miss Lilly Agnes Solomon. Both these sisters have been spinsters by choice and also perhaps by the plan God had breathed into them both, to be able to touch the lives of many less fortunate people. I really believe they had been a blessing to many by service and an inspiration by their personalities.

While we shared with each other, the testimony of our lives and how the Lord had been faithful in orchestrating his plans for us, I had a chance to read the letter, her sister Miss Lilly had written in one of the diaries she left back for aunt Celia, a couple years before she slept in peace as we’d guess. As she had intended, months after she passed away, aunt Celia saw the warmth, comfort and love of her sister come to life on a piece of paper as she flipped through the pages of the diary and I could unquestionably tell she has read, re-read and is continuing to read these words of hope to be encouraged with moving on. It is a true reflection of Miss Lilly’s love for aunt Celia, her gratitude towards the relationship they both shared, and her responsibility in comforting her younger sister for she knew that aunt Celia would be pounded with grief over this undesired and obviously inevitable separation. Above all, it mirrored the faith she had in their re-union in Christ at the doors of heaven in the days to come! I was highly touched by the way Miss Lilly wanted to talk in to her sister, words of love and of encouragement even after she got called to be with the Lord. With aunt Celia’s permission, I have posted here what the letter said -

When I am gone, release me, let me go,

I have so many things to see,

You must not tie yourself to me with tears,                                                                                                                           

be thankful for our beautiful years.

I gave to you my love, you can only guess,

how much you gave me in happiness

I thank you for the love each of you have shown,

but now it's the time I traveled alone,

So grieve a while for me and grieve you must,

then let your grief be comforted by trust,

it’s only for a time we must part,

so bless the memories within your heart.

I won’t be far away for the life goes on,

so, if you need me call, I will come,

though you can’t see me or touch me, I’ll be near,

for I will be inside you in spirit clear.

And if you listen with your heart you’ll hear,

all of my love around you soft & dear,

and then when you must come this way alone,

I’ll greet you with a smile & say “Welcome Home”!

A tribute to these sisters for their love for each other through the long years and a word of comfort & encouragement to those many mourning hearts out there suffering the loss of a loved one - There is hope after death and that is in Christ!