Never Apart

Together Forever 

Never Apart

Maybe in Distance

But Never in Heart

It's amazing to me that even though we may not be physically near to someone, their love and spirit can be very very near to us. I've seen this be true in so many ways in the last few weeks and I'd like to express a few thoughts.

My Great Grandma Dollie passed away a few weeks ago, and my Mom and I had the opportunity to go to California for her Funeral.

She was an amazing women who touched many people. As we were sitting in the pews, listening to the beautiful stories about my great grandma, I felt a gentle peace and a beautiful spirit that engulfed me. I was so touched by how very near I felt to my great grandma, even though in every physical sense she was gone, what I felt was very tangible. We speak of the dead in past tense, when we really should speak of them in present tense; she is still an amazing woman, she still touches the lives of many people and she is still a part of my life.

Death is very much like a loved one moving away; you don't get to see them for awhile, but no matter how far they go, you still feel them because they are inside of you.

I haven't seen my sister for over a year and when I do get to finally see her, our physical separation will have lasted a duration of 3 years. That is a long time for me and sometimes thinking about the time that must elapse before I am with her again makes me sad. But though she isn't physically with me, she is still very close to me.

Her being away has helped me understand how inconsequential distance is. She has been able to give me advice, tell me what I needed to hear and express her love to me from afar. Even when there is no way she could know what I'm struggling with, she has the ability to say just the right thing to uplift me. Which leads me to believe that when we are drawing closer to our Heavenly Father and strengthening our relationship with him, we are able to develop deeper connections with those we love because our spirits are able to commune with their spirits. That unspoken communication is a very beautiful thing. It feels like a blanket being wrapped around you or someone giving you a hug.

Today I felt touched again by a few of my family members who are physically distant from me, but very spiritually close to me. One of them was my sister. She sent me a package for my birthday which touched me. I felt that hug, that warmth of her love and realized how blessed I am. Her words of advice and encouragement were just what I needed and her gift was so thoughtful.

I think Heavenly Father enables us and encourages these spiritual relationships with each other that we might be his hands, his earthly angels to uplift and aid each other; for as we learn to love one another we learn a little about how our Heavenly feels towards us. I have experienced this first hand! Today I received a gift that was an answer to my prayers, which made me a little more aware of how mindful my Father in Heaven is of me and my specific needs.

We did not begin our spiritual relationships in this life, they began long before we were born. We knew each other before birth and we will continue to know each other after we die. We truly are stuck together forever, and no amount of distance can change that.

I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for his gospel and for the light and love I feel on a daily basis. I am grateful for the love of my family.
The Gospel makes us feel at peace and brings us true joy, it's one of the main reasons that I am able to Keep Smiling :)