A Letter to Mom

     This entry in The Good Life is devoted to my mom; a nice, 80-something year old lady of Italian ancestry who misses her husband. My dad passed away in 2001. When he died it seems a big part of my mom died with him - she has not been as happy or as positive. She dwells on the good-old-days of the past and the endless list of human evils of the present. I would like to mail her the following letter, but am afraid she will accept it defensively. If anyone who reads this entry can identify with me, in this relationship with my mom, I would more than appreciate some words of comfort and advice.

                                                                                                                   January 28, 2013

    Dearest Mom and Friend:

    You truly have been a mother and friend, and I trust you are doing well since we spoke last.

     I wanted to write, today, because of two concerns. First, although I consider us friends, I feel that we have not grown in this relationship for the past 15 or 20 years. I enjoy phoning and speaking with you twice a month and have enjoyed the occasional visits between me, the boys and Anita, and you – these all have been important, but I would like to improve our relationship in the near future. When Anita and I can sell our house, we will do so and move to Florida, closer to you.

     The second concern deals with your outlook on life since Dad past away. Right now, let’s say, you were offered a trip to heaven by a mysterious being. This being promises you that you would find Dad upon arrival and that you and Dad would live together in peace and happiness for all eternity. Would you take the offer? I know I would not. And I know you well enough that you would not. Let me explain why I feel this way.

     First, we don’t know this mysterious being that is offering the fantastic journey to heaven. And who does this being think he is? Does he truly know you would be reunited with Dad in the same way you were with him on earth – no one makes this promise – not even the holy Bible. God’s word, as revealed in the Bible, promises only eternal life, should one accept Jesus Christ as his/her savior. Consider that our eternal, heavenly bodies will be more concerned with being with God and getting to know Him – there will be an eternity for us to visit our loved ones, but (I feel) in a different way. To guess about how we will live in heaven would be wrong.

      Wrong or changed Christian beliefs have come down to us mortals, like a waterfall, throughout history. And they have been heaped upon us to bear throughout our earthly lives. In Christian belief and worship, God asks that we keep things light and simple, that we just have faith. Recall the apostle Paul who wrote in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 

     Faith is real! It is literally underneath us, as we stand (the sub-stance) convicted (or convinced) of things described in God’s word; things we cannot now see or even dream of.  However, as Paul also writes in 1 Corinthians 13, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then (when we finally reach that eternal life) we shall see face to face (the truth).”

     The Second reason for believing you would not go on the trip offered by the mysterious being is selfishness; selfishness on my part. Why would you want to go on a mysterious trip when our (yours and mine) total time together has not been spent?  Why would you want to “leave me and others alone at the movie before it ends”?

     So, dearest Mom and Friend, please don’t trust the mysterious being; stop longing for restful sleep. Instead, continue to trust in the Lord with all your heart and in all ways, and He will direct the paths you take (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Love, always,

Kenneth