The People in My Heart

I remember once after an especially beautiful worship service that my brother and I attended, he told me that he was sure our sister, Mary, was there with us.

Mary had passed away several years before, but like all loved ones, she never quite went away.

It’s probably not unusual to feel these things at big moments. Perhaps we’ve felt a comforting presence when we’re sad. Or they’re quietly celebrating with us in our hearts when we’re happy. Or maybe we feel their encouragement when we’re down. A lucky few dream or actually hear people that have passed on.

I don’t always feel them, but I believe they’re there. It’s not a haunted thing and it really doesn’t even feel mystical. It’s a spiritual thing that feels quite natural at the time.

I carry many people in my heart—the ones I love and who love me. Some are still alive, and others are not. If they’re alive, they’re probably reading these words and they know who they are. If they’re gone, they probably saw me while I was writing them in the first place.

I think about these things especially at Christmas because of our emphasis on family and friends. I remember the people who used to celebrate with us when they were alive. And we worship the Christ child who makes this little aspect of eternal life possible.