Sunday, August 30, 2009

Comings and Goings


Yesterday we welcomed our new baby girl into our home. When we got home we had a brother and sister, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins waiting for us. It was an exciting, if not particularly peaceful, welcome home. Right across the street from our apartment is the city cemetary and I noticed, as I was carrying my new daughter into the apartment, that a funeral was taking place at that moment. What an interesting contrast. On our side of the street there were a bunch of people gathered to say "hello" to a loved one and on the other side were people gathered to say "goodbye" to someone equally loved.

I then realized that on the other side of the veil the scene was very different. I don't know anything about the person whose funeral it was, but I can envision that he or she was having a very exciting welcome home by perhaps parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, cousins and friends. While for my little daughter I'm sure there was excitement and apprehension before she started her new journey here on earth, perhaps some tears shed by friends and family being left behind for a time.

I am sure of two things. First that there is much more to life than the scene played out here on earth. We lived before we were born, and we continue to live after our body dies. Second, after all of these comings and goings we can be together as families for eternity through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 comments:

Becca said...

Congrats on the new addition to your family! I love the perspective on comings and goings. What a cheerful thought.

Chelsea said...

I've experience that kind of coming and going moment. My little sister had a friend, named Jocelyn, who passed away from a skiing accident, and then on the day of her funeral one of my nieces was born and given the same name. It was a bittersweet moment, thinking about a Jocelyn returning home to Heavenly Father, and then another Jocelyn coming to earth.

When I heard the official name of your new baby girl was Jocelyn, I was reminded of this moment and it made me smile.