When the heart needs a hug…

A sunset full of hugs

I was looking out at the sky the other night and saw the most beautiful sunset.  As I looked to that beautiful horizon, I felt as if the sky reached out and wrapped the distant land in a graceful warm beautiful hug.  I felt as if Zach was giving me an angelic hug through this picturesque scene.  This was an incredibly beautiful feeling.  I love those special moments that pierce my heart with love and gratitude.

Today is certainly a day to reflect on the sweet life of our son Zach.  Today, he would be 21.  Today, he would have already completed a mission for our church.  Today, he would probably be holding to his promise to his father and attending college at the University of Utah.   Today, he would be excited to celebrate another birthday.  Today, I would see a young man whose smile, personality, and incredible spirit bless all he knows and loves.

But Zach’s “today,” his birthday, will be celebrated differently than the rest of us here on earth. We do celebrate Zach’s life and the magic he brought into our family and the lives of those he knew in his short life. We celebrate by remembering the moments in time of the things he did that continue to bring us joy, even today. There is not a day that goes by that thoughts or memories of Zach surface and today those floodgates are open. 

While I miss Zach each and every day, I am eternally grateful for that “Great Plan,” the Plan of Salvation. This plan offers me comfort, peace, and an opportunity to work at being worthy of seeing our sweet Zach again. For I truly believe there is life after this life, eternal life.  I believe that a loving Savior lived, died and rose from the grave, breaking the bonds of death, to give us this incredible gift.  How grateful I am to Him for giving me this hope, for my greatest desire is to see Zach again.  Because of my faith, I can press forward with confidence being optimistic in my pursuit of eternal happiness.

So “today,” I say, “Happy Birthday Zach!”  While you are dearly missed, I love that you are my angel, our family’s angel.  Thank you for hugging me through those beautiful sunsets of life.