Today begins with memories flooding my heart and mind. Formally, I will celebrate nine decades of my father’s life. Less formally, I find myself looking back at my shared experiences with a lens focused on the future. A truth is resonating within. “Compassion doesn’t originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God’s mercy.” (Romans 9.16) To some, the comment may appear to be rather blunt and callous. In ways I do not fully understand, I find myself comforted by the words.
Birth and death are markers in our lives of the first creation and a major step into recreation and beyond. The highs associated with the first are often lost or forgotten with time. With multiple small restorations and recreations in our lives, by the time one gets to the end, it is difficult to remember the highs as a balance to the dominating sense of loss at the moment. For me, letting my vision be enhanced with the perspective of Divine love and compassion changes my view.
In accepting that there is more than one way to see the present, I open myself up to hope and possibilities. The lesson whispers are far broader than this moment. I hear the invitation to see more of my views on relationships, experiences, and the journey I am on. Candidly, my view is far narrower than I realise. In being willing to see myself and others as Divinity sees us, I find myself in a larger story. In context, my father’s life takes on perspective, purpose, and meaning. The story is more than his relationships and his actions. The story includes his contributions, his impact on the lives around him (including my own), and the legacy he leaves behind.
There is a time for every emotion in life. When I embrace Divine love and mercy, I find myself ready to celebrate, laugh, and maybe even dance. My father lives a long and full life. He touched others along the way with creativity, humour, and adventure. I see endless traces of love and a Divine embrace.
