IT'S A NEW DAY

As I was sitting on my deck outside this morning, enjoying another sunrise, my thoughts turned to a young friend of mine. I found out yesterday that her love relationship has ended, and I am sad – sad for her, sad for her lost love, sad for her family, and even sad for me. Their love taught me so much. Because of them, I am a larger person with a much larger viewpoint.

How earth shattering it is when love fails. Yet how affirming it is to know in our knower that Love Itself never fails. I think that one has to be learned, experienced, lived.

If there’s anything my 64 years has taught me, it’s that human love fails, over and over again. Love hurts. Sometimes life sucks. Pain is a constant companion as we walk through this earth school. It’s there from the beginning, and it lives with us all our allotted days. Yet something inside us persists in this thing called “life”.

The more glorious thing I’ve learned is that Love Itself never fails. Love is always renewing the face of the earth. The sun always rises, even after long pain-filled, grueling nights. Birds sing, even during the storms. Frogs remember their songs, even after long draughts. Hope really does spring forth on its own.

And if we look hard enough, we can see God’s face everywhere. I’ve been pondering St. Patrick’s prayer for a couple of days now:

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,

Christ when I stand,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

If I could, I would assure my young friend that she is not alone. Love Itself has not failed her.

Christ behind her as the love and life they shared, all the things they learned together, all the memories they made.

Christ before her as new doors open unexpectedly (for surely they will).

Christ beside her as she is held in the loving embrace of friends and family.

Christ within her as the music and song inside of her give birth.

Christ above her as the dawn of a new day breaks through the darkness of this night.

Christ below her as she puts her feet on the ground and just keeps walking, one step at a time.

There is a constant abiding that Love is. It is always bringing life out of death, and she will live through this pain into new life. It will take time to heal. It will take work to begin again. It will require letting go of what has been so that she can begin again.

But I know her – even if from afar. I know the stuff she’s made of. And I know the Spirit that lives inside her. That Spirit always brings resurrection and new days.