All You Need Is Love

Coming off of a dear family member’s death, I have had more time than I’d like to contemplate the value of life. You know, time to stare at all the deep stuff in the bottom of life’s well. Most can agree on what is truly important here on Earth – family, children, loved ones, dear friends, treasured memories and possibly Target clearance sales. Okay, I love a fleeting good sale.

However, we do love to work and collect stuff here in America. We want more things … now. Consider your personal death bed. One day you will be there in a coffin or an urn because the truth is that nobody gets out of here alive. Death is unavoidable. As you take your final breath what are the things you imagine will pop into your head? That you “should have” worked more, achieved more, collected more, had more power? Probably not. It won’t be occupation or money, or your car or your clothes you think about. Most likely not even that vacation or promotion you craved all those years. I imagine that life begins and ends with love. Yes, the beautiful, warm four-letter word …who did you love? Who loves you? How did you love? Why did you love? Who loves you in these final moments?

The Beatles were right when they sang, “All You Need Is Love.”

I don’t want to have any love regrets when I am fading away, although, in reality this is inescapable. Life is way too short and when I encounter people I love who are unavailable to love back, I am saddened. Walls are meant to be broken and we all have them to some degree. These past weeks, as death unraveled, it made me want to grab my emotional hammer. Then, chip and chop away at those barriers to love, because in the end it is those we love and care for that really make the big difference in life. Breaking down walls is risky, takes courage and is an overall hard thing to do. I wish it wasn’t, but as Ringo Starr sang, “(Love) It Don’t Come Easy.”