I went to visit my nephew yesterday, the one who was emotionally destroyed by his mother's loss a few months ago. You have to understand that this nephew tends to only believe what he sees. He's never considered himself religious. But the burden of his loss grew so heavy that he turned upward. He plead for peace like his life depended on it. In some ways, it does because he has been simply existing, an empty shell. It has been months since he's actually lived his life.
But then he plead for peace. He sought hope, a sign, something that would help him move beyond the void of his existence. And that night, his mother's voice came to him. He heard her reassuring him, encouraging him, sharing the love he had craved as badly as a starving man craves food. His late dog was there, sharing his love, supporting him. His brother even felt the thump of the tail. As my nephew spoke of this experience, tears sprang to his eyes, and he did something that awed and inspired me: he bore testimony of God. It was beautiful and intense.
I am a religious person, but I haven't had this kind of experience. I have read scriptures and prayed. I have sought both joy and peace. But I can't say that I've put this kind of passion and intensity into my prayers. And it may be this is a gift God knows he needed but I do not. Angels speak by the power of the Spirit. And the words she spoke to her son sounded like her voice. The Spirit was strong in the room when he shared his story. I have no doubt this was his mother speaking to him because he needed it. He needed her hope, her strength, her love. In a way, I envy that experience. I'd love to hear my angel's voice. But I haven't sought that gift with my whole heart. And I probably haven't needed it like he did. God knows what we need. And if we plead with Him, it may take a while or it may be fast, but He will answer. Sometimes, that answer is no. And sometimes, as it was for my nephew, that answer is yes. And if, by some chance, we do have the sacred experience of such a gift, we get it for a reason. Now, it's up to my nephew to embrace that gift, the gift of hope and the reminder of his mother's love, a love that can sustain and motivate him to live again.
