The People on Our Path: God's Light Manifest

Today I'm reminded that God often puts people on our life's path who bless and lift us in unexpected ways. Truly, as Spencer W. Kimball said, "The Lord answers our prayers, but it is usually through another person that he meets our needs."

I'm grateful for the gift of friendship, for the warmth it brings, for the strength it provides. But when a friend leaves, he takes that warmth with him, leaving the rest of us a little colder inside.

Goodbyes are among life's most bittersweet experiences. I believe this is because we all carry a light within us that warms those around us. The better we come to know people, the more reliant we become on their light — the light of their knowledge, their personality, their kindness. And when those people leave us, so does their light, leaving a hole in our heart that no one else can fill in quite the same way.

But though we mourn those dear ones who temporarily leave us (for surely we shall meet again), we can remember their goodness and the lessons they taught us through word and deed. For me, this means (among many other things) being quicker to observe the lessons God teaches me through the people he places on my path.