Memorial Day is a time we have set aside to honor those who have died serving our country. Many observe this holiday by remembering loved ones who have gone on. Having recently lost my father, himself a veteran, I will do both.
In our quest for spiritual understanding we come to know that the animating force behind the physical body is the soul, the real essence of the person. As I have mentioned, we use our bodies for communication and as the interface to the material dimension. We know, however, that we are more than our bodies. We know the love we feel for another is something much more than can be contained in the words, “I love you.” These words represent an experience that is impossible to fully articulate.
A true expression of love goes far beyond words; it is a soul exchange, a living, unmistakable warmth that we know is sincere even when words are not present. I have heard people express regret for not telling more often someone who had passed from their body that they loved them. The words and the sincerity communicated through the eyes and the actions are good and important but these are but a small part of the love that is communicated by the soul. The communication of love is not hindered by the body’s absence. The people you love, though you cannot see them, know your love. Tell them now that you love them, but don’t do it out of regret for not telling them more while they occupied their body. Tell them with the understanding that they know and experience this most precious gift of yourself.
The body is a wonderful vehicle. Because it is so uniquely tied to the soul of those we love we can mistake it for them. That of another that you love is as infinite and as all-encompassing as that from which you love. If you place flowers on the grave of one who has passed from this plane, do it with love and joy in your heart. Do it in honor and in the acknowledgement of the life they continue to live. You do not see their face with your eyes or hear their voice with your ears but you still know their love in your heart. Not the heart that beats once every second, but the heart that is you. Your essence intertwines with theirs. You have never seen this essence, but you know it is real and it continues on.