The month of February has come and gone. Many things, although ordinary, were very significant for me in February 2011. Max has grown to be a little boy and is not so much a baby. Gracie is becoming a person full of opinions, passion for life and (we knew it was coming) attitude. My relationship with Chip continues to change and grow with God as our nourishment. My life is blessed.
In February I was reminded of my dear sweet friend John Mraz. His untimely death on February 12th 1993 still holds a bittersweet cloud over my head. Although, it has been eighteen years it feels like yesterday. My memories of him are so vivid and clear. I can still remember the tone of his voice and hear the music of his laughter. John is not what the world would call normal. But to me he was amazing. John embraced his individuality and didn't apologize for not conforming to society. He was so happy to be who he was and that joy spilled over into the world around him. My life is sweeter just for having met him. But to be someone that he called his friend...that was a blessing that I didn't deserve.
John Joseph Mraz is a very important square in the quilt of my life. One that I will always look at with such fondness. One that I cannot imagine gazing upon without a smile on my face.
Still to this day I imagine him in my life. My children would have adored him. I am sure I would have adored his children and the lucky woman who would have been honored to be his wife. But that was not to be.
I wonder if John ever truly met Jesus. I wonder if he had a relationship with our saviour. I would like to believe that he did. He brought so much happiness to everyone around him; he accepted us unconditionally; he was so peace loving and real. I know that Jesus loved him so much. If I can believe that John did finally meet him then I am given the hope of one day seeing John again. What a fantastic reunion that will be!
John's birthday was Valentines Day. How very appropriate. This Valentine's Day I re-evaluated what love means to me. It is the uninhibited laugh of my two year old son. Love is the compassion that my daughter has for the world. It is in her voice when she tells me of her plans to build "Grace's place", a place for those who are homeless. It will have apartments and a restaurant, a daycare for those who are trying to find jobs or working low paying jobs to try to make ends meet. What eight year old thinks of those things? It is in my husbands voice when we talk about how to discipline our children or when we speak of the plans we have for our future or theirs. Love is my parents and all that they do for me unconditionally. It is our siblings and the blessing of our nieces and nephews.
But ultimately, love is in the red letters of the Bible. It is in the love letter that God has written to me. He shows his love to me in an abundance of ways... one of which was my friend...John Joseph Mraz.
