The Wind in the Trees

God’s presence sustains us, but so too does the presence of others. In order to be emotionally and spiritually healthy, we need family or friends whose face tells us, “It is good that you exist. I like being with you. You belong.” In other words, we need love and we need it in the same way we need air to breathe.

Sometimes, we hear people tell us this truth when it’s too late. They may have taken their spouse’s presence for granted, but as soon as he or she was gone they say, “Life is not worth living.” They didn’t realize that the joy they got from a hobby, from work or a vacation was being fueled by the living spirit of their spouse. Without that person, life became meaningless.

This is a wake-up call for me. I’m interested in a thousand things, but in pursuing those interests, I can tend to forget about the people around me, notably my wife, Sue. And so I try to make a conscious effort to realize she is nourishing me just by virtue of her presence. My power to enjoy the things I’m caught up with comes, at least in part, from the love she regularly deposits to my spiritual bank account.

Do we need to stop and take time to appreciate those around us? Despite all their faults, should we not try to savour their essence i.e. their spirit which was created in love?