Cherish the Love We Have
The other day at work, a song came to my mind and began to play repeatedly — a song from the mid-80s:
“Cherish the love we have.”
After a while, I became aware of something else — or rather, someone else.
Karen, my first wife who passed away in 1994, was suddenly there with me. I could feel her presence so clearly, though I couldn’t see her.
Without even thinking, I said, “I’m sorry,” though I didn’t know why.
And she answered, softly and unmistakably, “I know.”
Her voice was exactly as I remembered it — gentle, warm, familiar. Then, as if a veil had lifted, I began to see through the pages of my own mind every little thing I had said or done that had hurt her. The awareness was vivid and humbling.
Her presence grew stronger. I began to see her silhouette — just a shadow, but unmistakably her.
Then she said, “We’ll be together for eternity.”
I could feel her smile.
I don’t know how long this lasted, but I know it was real.
When I later shared this experience with my wife, Michelle, she reacted emotionally. In that moment, I realized that what I had seen was not only about Karen, but also about her — about how I had hurt Michelle, often without even realizing it.
This experience taught me something profound:
We can unintentionally hurt others without being aware of it. It reminded me how vital self-awareness and empathy are in our relationships. If we only see other people’s mistakes and not our own, maybe we need to look in the mirror and remember that there are always two sides to every story.
Jesus once said to those who brought before Him the woman caught in adultery:
“You without sin, cast the first stone.”
And one by one, they turned away.
That message of forgiveness and compassion resonates deeply with me — especially now.
Like all of us, I’ve made mistakes. It’s part of being human. And it’s through our mistakes that we learn, grow, and hopefully become more loving.
I have no stones to throw.
Despite our flaws and failures, God’s love never changes. It’s comforting to know that in a world full of change, some things remain constant — love among them.
It’s only me who changes.
Cherish the love we have.
Amen