You can listen to this week’s Devotional here
Author: Amy Ostwald
“Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
I am living with my mother in the house my parents built in 1968. It is heavy with decades of family artifacts — things that need to be sorted through. My current period of procrastination has ended: in order to repair a broken pipe, I need to clear out a space in the attic for a plumber to crawl through. On this day in July, I am grateful that my niece has come to help with this project.
Nestled between collections of childhood artwork and old quilts we find a box of red three-ring binders, each labeled by year. My mother had carefully punched Christmas cards and Christmas letters, arranging them alphabetically by the sender’s last name. The binders hold years of narratives about the lives of friends and relatives— from Boulder to New York to Poland: photographs and letters with news about things like births, deaths, children, illnesses, achievements, retirements, and travel.
These cards and letters document a lifetime of care and connection with family and friends. I imagine my mother opening each card, smiling, and feeling the love conveyed. The cards are so very special. Sadly, though, due to dementia my mother cannot remember many of the Christmas card senders. Many of these folks have passed away. And Mom can no longer see well enough to read the cards… It seems that the contents of these notebooks are destined for the recycle bin. Can I really put them there? And I wonder: Has the value of these cards simply disappeared into the ether? I sit with my sadness at these thoughts.
But I find my faith after a time: I believe that the gift of love in these cards still lives inside my mother. I feel quite sure that somehow the kindness and sense of connection they conveyed is with her now. She may not remember any names or details described in the notes, but she still carries how they made her feel.
These cards and letters are beautiful, but I know now that it is okay to let them go. I can do it, trusting that the love they held will never die. I suspect I will have to learn how to do this sort of thing again and again in my life…
PRAYER
Gracious God, I am grateful for all the gifts I have received in my life. Help me to let go of the material things that weigh me down. May I hold fast to what is eternal — the love I give and receive.
AMEN
