To Everything There is a Season, a Reason

This is something that has been rolling around in my head for a little while and I thought it so moving that it needed to be shared. Christopher was an amazing man, it's no lie, I talk about it all the time. But something happened that made me feel as if he was still here showing me how great he was all over again. To explain and share this story I need to provide a little back story that took place over 9 years ago.

On May 26, 2001, Christopher and I were wed. For us it was a day of celebration, stolen glances with half cocked grins from across the room and small breathy whispers of "love you..." That day was one of the greatest moments of my life shared with friends and family from all over. A day that all we ever wanted was for people to share in the joy we had for each other; a day of pure blissful joy.

Shortly after we came back from our honeymoon we had gotten news that Christopher's cousin who was to be wed later that year broke off her engagement. Christopher and I were both shocked. While we didn't know the man she was to marry; we both looked forward to their wedding. During this time we found out the reason that the engagement was broken off. It was, well, sorta, in a nut shell, because of us. On the way back from our wedding she told her mom that as she looked out on dance floor at us dancing around, laugh, being us - in love, that she didn't feel as though she didn't have that with her soon-to-be-hubby. So the wedding was off....

I remember sitting in our apartment talking about this sudden turn of events. I remember it as though I pulled our conversation from my own memories and read it over and over like it's one of my favorite paperback novels. I explained to Christopher how I felt so bad. I didn't want for us to be the reason someone didn't get married. And in only Christopher fashion, he rubbed the nap of my neck with his thumb and said, "How do you feel when I do that?"

"I get warm and fuzzy..." I replied as I nested my head into his shoulder. He went on to explain that his cousin deserved to feel those warm and fuzzes too. That some times things happen for reasons we don't understand; but in the end it's always for the better. And well he was right. A few years later his cousin married a wonderful man that completes her and yes, gives her all the warm and fuzzy feelings one should feel when they are in a loving relationship. I couldn't be happier for her and her hubby; it warms my heart from the inside out that they found each other.

Shortly before Christopher passed away, he made it known that his wishes were to give our dinning room set (which was his mom's) and the dishes that went with it to his cousin as a wedding present. I agreed, because I knew how close she was to Christopher's mom and how much it would mean for her to have this wonderful gift. So after Christopher passed away; his aunt and cousin came and took the set. It was one of the most bittersweet moments; to share at the same time the joy I felt in sharing such a wonderful gift and sadness of having something so Christopher leave our house.

A few months later I found a random box of dishes that went to the set and I put them out to ship. Months went by and the dishes got moved around the house from place to place just waiting for me to box them up. Then one day, I said enough! Enough time has passed that I told this poor girl I would ship the dishes. So one night I boxed up these little bowls; my first shipment. The next day my little package went out.... And well... I got this message from Christopher's cousin just a few days later:

I got the package last night and I cried. Thank you so much...I had been thinking about my aunt and Chris lately and its a long story but I want to share a bit with you. My hubby and I have been looking for a home and every home we have looked at hadn't felt right for multiple reasons. One major reason is that I couldn't imagine my aunts furniture in any of the homes until yesterday. I actually cried when we left the house because it felt right. Then we went to my moms, a mysterious package was there for me and it was the bowls. I took it as a sign so we will be putting an offer in this weekend!
Thank you for taking the time and money to send me the dishes. It means a lot!

I cried as this message went across my phone. Christopher had done it again and in only a way he could. It was as if he was rubbing the nap of my neck telling me that she deserves to be happy and if we helped out, then so be it...

I married a wonder man. A man that saw the world in a way that only a select few can, through a set of gentle eyes that gave life and beauty to everything around him. He's still helping those around him even though he's gone. Geeze I love that man....

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
- The Byrds