Only Love is Real

During the late Summer of 2004 a couple from Virginia, Fred and Sue, visited our home; we usually don't get too many visitors because we are in a rural town in Oregon, that to my East Coast city eyes accustomed to the pulse of the city with its noise, bright buildings, museums, galleries, shops and ethnic restaurants, seemed like a ghost town when I first moved here. Nowadays, I wouldn't consider moving back, as I love the peace, the fields and the pink skies at dusk.

The couple who were visiting are into exploring Truth as we are. While Fred and I were alone in the garden, he had me pretend that I had just died and my body was laying in the futon of our garden. He asked, "what do you feel, now that you are dead, and you are out of your body?" And, as I gazed across the field which faces our home, I said, "love, all I feel is love. This is the only thing that truly survives". I was not being sentimental, it was exactly what I felt, that nothing else mattered in the grand scheme of life, not our possesions, failures, achievements, titles, awards or physical appearance mattered on our death bed, as we can't take this with us, only Love. Fred started to cry when I said this, as he had connected to me. He did not tell me at the time, but he sensed a deep sadness down the road for me, a challenge I would experience.

A few months after that summer, which was around January, I decided to read a book about a mother who had lost her teenage son, and my thoughts were, "God forbid my sister would ever lose her son!" Then I put it out of my mind, as my nephew was apparently healthy, in college, planning to become a psychiatrist, enjoying his life and girlfriend. What was odd is, I generally would not pick up a book about a mother's loss, as I am drawn to books about life after death experiences or spiritual themes, but something pulled me to that book.

A few months later, my 18 year old nephew suddenly passed away; it was a shock, that literally shattered parts of our reality. When I looked at his young body in the casket, I could feel the same feeling of love I felt a few months before in the garden, as being the essence he left behind, and which still lives, now that he is in another reality. Seeing over 100 of his friends, several who flew from different parts of the country and some who were meeting for the first time, and who have retained the new friendships just because they loved him, gave me the fortitude to help my sister with her grief, as well as deal with my own, not by just putting one foot after another and live like zombies, but to literally become more attuned to the divine essence of life and honor it.

Only love is real; this is a powerful truth when it comes to the nature of life, which all religions and spiritual paths teach, but often gets misinterpreted, as loving my path and judging that of others; and which Dr. Brian Weiss, a past life therapist has often said in his books. We choose different experiences in our relationships with family, friends and companions to learn to love unconditionally, even if we need to let the person go. It is this love that will always keep us connected to our loved ones when they pass on and when we meet again.

When I want to feel a connection to a loved one that has left the earthly journey before me, I place a palm over my heart and quietly listen, and feel their formless presence, because a higher part of me, is aware a part of their essence is nestled somewhere deep in my heart which I can connect to, while I am still in this journey we call earthly life.

The following poem is one I wrote for my sister (his Mom) as a message from Omar and was read at the funeral mass.

May Love, the higher expression of love, embrace us all.

Now that I'm in the other world

where souls find a resting place

among the rainbow colored waterfalls -

I will be your guardian angel

your sweet angel watching over you.

I will dry your tears 

and hold you in a tight embrace-

and your heart will remember

I am only a tender breath away.

You can call me when your heart is breaking

you can call me when you want to feel my love

you can call me and I will be by your side

even if I am now dancing in the Light with God.

I may seem to be gone, but

I am still with you

while we fulfill God's Higher Plan.

I am a tender breath way

always loving you.

Marie and Omar