Gift of nothing

The other day as I say several people stood near the altar facing the congregation to say what cracked open their hearts when they thought of the one they missed and still love because grief is love that misses its belonging place

One guy stood at the mic in front of the church on All Saints Day and instantly fell to tears and finally through many hesitant steps he managed to say he missed the young pastor who had so recently suddenly died the pastor who had stood beside these same witnesses at the mic for a dozen years and now he himself was one of the lost and missed

The guy said that he had nothing to say and that he was sorry and would go sit down in a minute but was standing there with a few garbled words for all those who missed the pastor and had nothing else to say

For me it was a pure gift of nothing the finest there is