You know I am fascinated by and inspired by the ways we can be linked together as people through family, business networks, friends and technology. However recently my wife and I were effected by a broken link. My wife’s dad passed away this past week. As christians we believe he has literally gone to a better place free from suffering and full of joy but on this side of eternity the grief come from the broken link of not being about talk, visit, learn and be encouraged by him. This is the sadness we all feel when we loss a loved one and one who is a part of our life. Not only is it a link to that one person but their stories and other connections to others that sadly we often lose during their passing.
My wife’s uncle and her dad’s oldest brother also passed away earlier this year and during both funerals video presentations of their lives were shown on the screen in the church and we also heard stories from their lives from other families members we never heard before.
We will all have broken links at the passing of friends and family during our life time and we ourselves will be a broken link someday. While links may be broken for a time I highly encourage you to take photos, have conversations, talk to others about stories and ask ourselves what kind of memories we are leaving with others. What values, adventures and innovations will others link you to when you are remembered?
Almost every funeral I have been to I have been encouraged to carry the torch of the one who passed by doing those things they valued and added to the world in a positive way. Links may be broken but in memory what new links can you forge?
