The Same Sociality

"We do not need a catastrophic event to remind us how fluid we are, how strong and fascinating.

We need merely look in the mirror....and seize every opportunity we can."

I read these words on my friend Meg's blog tonight. I was moved by their beauty. They are especially poignant in light of my evening, spent gathered with my extended family at my parent's home for dinner and visiting. It was a loud, boisterous gathering, full with people I hadn't seen for years, for months, for weeks and some that I see everyday. There are still more coming tomorrow. The reason? Grandpa's funeral. This is probably the closest thing to a Lewis Family Reunion we've had for 15 years. And it was beautiful. People hugging, laughing, crying, chasing kids, practicing songs, filling bags of seeds, conversing over food, jumping on the trampoline, sharing stories and memories, being re-introduced, pointing out who belonged to whom, connecting. Really connecting. Noticeably absent were people's cell phones. I don't think I saw a text get sent, and only one person talking on his cell phone (and that is because he has an out of state girlfriend :) I sat at a table, observing the richness of life swirling around me, reveling in the normalcy of it all, smiling at the pleasure of watching unique interactions light up all around me, then shift, like one of those splash pad fountains where the water keeps coming up from the ground at unexpected places, but always bubbling up with joy. I was impressed that the reason we had all these connections, was because all of our common, yet individual, connection to Grandpa. It was astounding, the variety of people he brought together, the way he united all us disparate souls under the banner of family.
Still, I know he struggled. He didn't see himself as some great success. Just last September, when he first started dialysis he wrote this in a letter to his children:

"Every thing was okay until I came out of the anesthetic. I had a bad case of: Poor me’s I was thinking what a failure I have been, I have been a quitter all my life, always looking for the easier way. I’ve screwed up three marriages, I haven’t made a fortune to leave my kids, I did not finish college, I did not go on a mission as a young man, I did not seek higher employment. So many things I could have done better."

But then, after a few paragraphs, he ends as follows:

"My patriarchal blessing says that I would have good health until my mission on earth was finished and I’m not sure what my mission is or was. I do know that I am the father of seven fantastic kids. It pleasures me more to see what type of parents you all are after the poor example I was to you. In every letter your grandma Lewis sent me, she always bore testimony of God and Jesus Christ and it bugged me until I got my own testimony of them. In earthly things I don’t have much, but the knowledge I have that we are God’s kids and that we will remain an eternal family."

If Grandpa saw us all gathered tonight, then I know he must be happy. If he gets to see all those gathered tomorrow for his funeral, I know he will be happy, seeing all of "God's kids" that He loved as "God's kids." I once asked him, "How do you love all these people, especially when some of them have done really awful things?" He shared a short parable of sorts, then summed it up, "If you love me, love my kids."

If you love God, you will love His children. We will see God in the face of every person we encounter. And because we have seen his face before, we will recognize it when He comes again. This belief was at the heart of Grandpa's testimony.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee ^asick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my ^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matt. 25:37-40

When the Savior shall ^aappear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a ^bman like ourselves.

And that same ^asociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with ^beternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.

Doctrine and Covenants 130:1-2

Where is Heaven is it very far? I would like to know if it's beyond the brightest star? I've a feeling that it's not so far: when you're with the ones you love, it's right where you are.

(Primary Children's songbook, "Where is Heaven?")