Was at the funeral of a youngster, who died of a mental disorder. Many spoke at his funeral, and said how helpless they felt in trying to reach out to him, but could do nothing. “Oh yes, you did,” I said, when it was my turn to speak. “Each of you reached out to him, and gave him a few moments of love!”
This happened many years ago, when my younger daughter was little. She wept as she held a dead bird in her hand. “It died daddy. I saw it being attacked by crows. I chased the crows away and brought it home. I gave it some water. It was alive a few moments ago. But it’s gone now. Its dead daddy!”
I watched as she sat alone and forlorn caressing the dead creature in her lap. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around my little one and weep with her, but as I looked at my shaken daughter and the lifeless form, I knew that nothing happened without something to be learned. “Yes,” I thought, “she needs to know that the love she gave the bird was the love the little winged creature now carried with it on its journey to the great beyond!”
“A great God above,” I whispered finally, “also heard the birds' cries!”
“So, why didn’t God do something?” she asked angrily, “I could do nothing to save it!”
“You were not meant to save it,” I said simply, “you were just meant to give it a few moments of love!”
“I was able to give it a few moments of love!” whispered my little girl and suddenly she smiled through her tears. I watched as she carried the bird down. I knew the little creature would be buried in the garden below, but on the face of my daughter was now a look of peace!
“Thank you God!” I whispered as I looked up into the heavens, “for giving her the opportunity of giving a dying soul a few moments of love!”
I think a God above smiled as He heard me and yet I felt His eyes roam about the face of the earth sadly. He saw his children dying of AIDS, lonely!
Old people breathing their last breaths, in loneliness!
Cancer ridden patients in their last stages, companionless!
Accident victims on roads, deserted!
Alcoholics blamed for their drinking and now slow death!
All looking up to Him and asking for someone who would give them a few moments of love… before they passed away!
But that day at the funeral, I didn’t see a lonely coffin, but one which contained someone who had got from so many, classmates, church friends, neighbours, and relatives, a few moments of love..!
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and author. He blogs at www.bobsbanter.com and can be reached at bobsbanter@gmail.com
