Life Lived and Lost with No Regrets

As we pulled into the driveway of my mother’s house there was a bright bluish white flash and an immediate loud clap of thunder. I watched, as a bolt of lightening ripped downward through the old pine tree that stood in her yard. Fresh wood lay exposed in a long uneven line, weaving its way from the top of the tree to the bottom. In a literal flash the ancient tree that I had played under as a child was mortally struck, its life now all but over.  There was no doubt that the old tree would have to be cut down.

A week later the tree service arrived at my mothers and made short work cutting the tree down. It left me with a strange and hollow feeling, as if there were a gapping hole in the yard. I missed my old friend the tree and the childhood memories of playing beneath its boughs.  With the death of that tree a barrage of forgotten but pleasant memories surfaced. I wanted to weep.

So it is with us when we suddenly and unexpectedly lose someone we love. Their absence leaves a hollow place in our hearts. Old and often forgotten memories suddenly surface, as we reflect on their passing and how that person intertwined with our life. It’s hard to lose someone we love, especially if they played an important role in our life. Like that old tree, perhaps we just assumed they would be around forever. This is why it is so important that we not take one another for granite. When hurt, reconcile as soon as possible, and always express love.

I lost my father in the early summer of 1994. His death like that old tree was sudden and quite unexpected. He was only fifty-four years old and I just assumed that he would be around forever. Yet in a flash he was gone. Although the last words he spoke to me before I left the house that night were “I love you,” we never had the opportunity to genuinely reconcile our lifetime of differences. His loss left a hollow place in my life and deep regret that we had never made true amends to one another.

Jesus calls us to a life of love and reconciliation. He tells us that if we have an issue with our neighbor we are to drop what we are doing and immediately go to that person and make amends. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. What is here today may be gone tomorrow without any warning or notice. Reconciliation opens us up to a happier and healthier life. We can live without regret because the sunlight of the Spirit shines within us.

In conclusion, pray for those we may find ourselves in conflict, and reach out to them if able. If possible go to those we love and know, and make the necessary amends (no matter who is right or who is wrong).  Life is finite and we just never know when it will end. By following Jesus’ call to reconcile, we are better able to live life without regret or guilt. And those hollow places in our lives become pools of golden light filled with hallowed warmth.