Another Loss

Valentines day is when we celebrate love and loved ones but what happens when the one you love passes. February 15th, 2025 my step sister walked into the arms of the Lord. Her nearly year long battle with cancer came to an abrupt end, leaving her husband and daughter behind.

The tragedy of the whole thing is that every year, on Valentines, we will all be reminded of our loss. I'm sure there a hundreds, if not thousands of people facing that same situation where they lost someone on the day of love. It's a continual reminder in neon every year, hey the one you loved on the day of love is gone. It's a true slap in the face. 

For me, my stepsis and I weren't extremely close. We enjoyed each other and got along very well but my grief comes through her family. Thinking of that cruel day every year crushing their spirit inside. Being a husband myself, I can't help but reflect on what he is going through. What if it was me? Of course millions of people go through loss of this kind and I've experienced my fair share of death in my family but a spouse. I don't want to even think about it let alone come to terms with it.

As Christians too, we aren’t supposed to think of death as the final act of the play, instead it's just intermission. Because we'll see them again but the separation now is the pain and for those that have no hope, excruciating pain. Yet if we believe we always say their suffering is over, and they are in a better place. Yet the heart cannot be consoled at the departure of It's other half.

Because, if we become one, then at separation you become half. Which to me, would be horrible. 

So, here I am, stuck in another emotionally traumatic situation with no hope of it just being a dream I can wake up from. No, this is real. Sad thing was, we were on our way to visit her, and she passed with us two hours away from her home. 

So, no goodbyes or thank yous or a final I love you. However, if you believe, a great reunion awaits on the other side one day. 

Let me diverge a moment. Same topic, yet different path. If we are to believe in Jesus, that he conquered death, that we will receive a new body, that we'll live forever with Him, then why the tears. Same as a child cries for it's mom when they step out of the room or leaves them at a day care or school. Separation. If you've been with someone, like my wife and I have been for 31 years then sudden separation is traumatic, no matter your beliefs. 

I pray we grow old together, fall asleep one night and walk into heaven hand in hand. Wouldn't that be something. 

So I'll leave with this. I'm sorry this world is still broken and death still reigns in it. I'm sorry for your sudden separation and it isn't fair. I pray you live a good life apart from each other. Yet I know your hearts will always be split in half until God reunites the two of you. I pray God fills you with His love to fill the emptiness you feel. May God be with you, may He comfort you and may He bless you with His Spirit in your time of need. Amen