By Bob Scannell
I spent some reflection time in the chapel after Church today. During that time, I read a passage from a book which talked about tough and trying times. It quoted the Bible story about Jesus calming the sea, and included a commentary about how ‘the world does not know peace unless there is an absence of conflict, but that Jesus’ Peace comes in the midst of conflict.’
This kind of struck me, because it just so happened that earlier in the day, someone asked me if it was peaceful when Beth passed… My reply was, “well, if I edit the story down to the very end, yes, it was peaceful, but in fact, the last few days were actually very difficult and trying”.
So, with all this still rolling around in my head, I of course went for a walk and ‘Beth talk’ on the beach. Two notable things about this walk: 1) It was an incredibly calm and peaceful sea; and 2) there were an abundance of shells to be found (Beth’s favorite way of communicating with me), and one of the first I came upon instantly reminded me of Beth and I hugging (it was a very clear Beth-message).
I realize now that what I just experienced at the beach, and the earlier quotation, and Beth‘s ‘hug’, were affirmation that it was God‘s peace that we (Beth, I, our whole family) received in the middle of that very tough and trying time.
You see, our hugs were very special. With Beth confined to bed or a wheelchair, and needing assistance from one to the other, the days consisted of many such transfers as we together battled her disease progression and the obstacles it put in our way. But, we very often would pause mid-transfer and give each other an extra squeeze, and cherish that chance to hug, and give each other our love. It was a favorite bit of Peace for both us, in the midst of the daily storm.
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