When you lose a loved one—someone very close and dear to you, you naturally grieve.  Something would be wrong if you didn’t, for that person’s input in your life has, in a practical sense, come to an end.

And yet what they brought to your life hasn’t really come to an end.  Someone said that “A well-lived life leaves beautiful treasures shining on our shores.” And like children who love to pick up shells as they amble along the scalloped edge of the ocean, we too can gather the beautiful qualities from a well-lived life.

As we mourn our loss, we also need to celebrate the life of the person we miss so much. He or she has truly left treasures behind that the tides of life cannot take away. Think about just a few of these:

The loved one’s contribution to our lives that makes us what we are today.
The way our friend used his or her gifts to bless others
The ready smile and stories and jokes that still make us smile
Perhaps the person’s ever-constant love of the Lord—and you.

The list can go on and on. No one can take them from you.

The apostle Paul was a great encouragement to a young pastor named Timothy. He told Timothy, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice   and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Paul was recalling the input of faith that Timothy’s grandmother and mother had brought to his life.  He was convinced that same faith was in Timothy’s life, passed on from previous generations.

If you have recently lost a dear one, think of the treasures you have from that special person. Gather them up. As you remember their love, celebrate their life.