Points to Ponder

Today I sang at a funeral of a young man. He was 25 years old. Now, I must say I did not know this gentleman and it is not my intention to speak ill of those who have passed so please forgive me if I offend. It is not my intention.

This man had spent some time in his life shooting himself in the foot, as it were. Addiction problems and bad choices seems to rain over his years. What he had going for him was a family that stayed by his side and some kind of inner truth that told him that this was not the way to live. I understand the life of one who loves an addict. It took many meetings with a NAR-ANON family support group to understand how to cope with the anger and resentment that these people bring to our lives. Those people helped me make the decision to back away from this person. He still lives in darkness. God help him.

What I heard today were many of this man's family members speaking only of the love and support they got from him. Fellow addicts spoke of him with praise and admiration. He died as the result of a tragic accident. To his eternal credit, he came to the Pearly Gates Clean and Sober. That seemed incredibly important to him. And to his family.

So why did the plug get pulled on his life? This is one of those.."Why, God?" moments. The man learned some tough lessons and seemed ready to give back to his community, to make something of the rest of his life. And the rest of his life never came.

I came across a card from a friend of mine, now deceased as well. My friend, Jonathan, died of liver cancer just after his 40th birthday. I spoke to him a week or so before he died...and he was very sad. "Why now?" he kept saying. He had reconciled with his wife and they were living together raising their son. Life was on the upswing..and then.. Cancer. He was gone only months after his diagnosis.

What is that about, God?

Or the many people I know who have been taken way before their work here was done. If they could have stayed just another decade, what could they have achieved? What could they have accomplished? What lives would they have touched?

It's things like this that pass through my mind when I'm driving or sitting quietly or missing someone...time to think and remember.

Life is a mystery, there is no doubt. To all the saints, who from their labors rest....look down on us and love us. We keep you alive in our hearts and we can only hope you look in from time to time.

Thanks for the memories.