Too Much Good to Trip on the Bad

Nothing earth shattering here today....well you decide.

Shawn & I spent last night at the hospital with some dear friends of ours - Brandon & Laura.

They were having their 1st baby (baby Cooper Laine)...although pre-mature (being born at 27 weeks & 2 days)...although he weighed in at 2lb 4 oz...although Laura (the momma) had to deliver early because of the fact that she is the proud owner of a donated kidney - which is struggling a bit to find normal blood levels right now.  And, although it took in-vitro x2 to  get here...last night & early this morning was a beautiful chapter being written in some friends' long story of both triumph & pain.

But that's not why I'm writing.

I'm writing because in the midst of the hospital...& their friends & family...& all the other prayers, worries & concerns...

I was reminded that the world is FULL of LIFE & LOVE.

I mean FULL of it.

No matter, whether it's a person that comes to your side in difficult times.  Or, a phone call from someone far away. Or, some kind of message getting sent to you - saying someone cares.  Or, a loved one crying with you, because they too are touched by your reality.  Or, someone putting their arm on your shoulder, that says, without a word being spoken, "I'm here for you until...".  Or the words, "I'm praying for you...".

The world is FULL of Life & Love.

Goodness is everywhere.

Look around.

Even in the hospital at 2:38 am - it's there.

How much more, is it there in our homes...families...marriages...life...world...

It's ALL around.

It's everywhere.

Do you see it?  Feel it?

SO

Why would we choose to focus on the "anti life" "anti love" campaigns of life?  Why waste so much good energy on the hating side...Or, waste precious time, even worrying about the haters.

All around there is LIFE & LOVE.

So

My friend.

Those tears that came to my eyes somewhere during the night...they were not tears of sadness...fear...or anything like that.  As a matter of fact, no one even knew they were there - other than me.

No, they weren't tears of sadness at all.

Quite the opposite.

They were tears, full of wonderful emotion, that were realizing that all around me - there is LIFE & LOVE.

I sat quietly, taking in the full landscape of my life...marriage...family...friends...all of it...every single piece of it.

AND

Right there - I knew what it felt like to be surrounded by love...AND how to surround someone else with that same love when they needed...

A hug...

An arm around their shoulder...

A prayer...

A word of encouragement...

A smile...

A joke...

Silence...

Life...

Love...

And I knew, that that place last night was full of LIFE & LOVE.

Open your eyes, for your world is exactly like that...FULL of LIFE & LOVE.

peace

b

ps - Lil baby Cooper is doing well...keep him & them in your prayers.