People take issue with my “attachment” to my pets, saying there must be something wrong with me if I’d be crushed not to see them in heaven … would it bother you not to see your spouse or kids there? If you’d be crushed by the death of your spouse or child, does that mean you’re too “attached”? Am I the only one on CAF who’s not an earthly saint…?
Gosh, I apologize… Please let me explain. I don’t think there is something wrong with someone just because they’d miss a loved one if that loved one didn’t get to Heaven (whether that loved one was a pet or a spouse). I think you’re love for your pets is genuine, beautiful, and reminiscent Saint Francis of Assisi (IOW, perhaps you are an earthly saint). I think the main point I was trying to make is that we are so far from being capable of understanding Heaven that when we get there, who knows, maybe we won’t miss our loved ones.
…I would hate to be so shallow that I would forget the love I had for the other loved ones in my life…
Now I do know that I have been sad when loved ones have passed away. I think grieving is a natural process. But on the brighter side, if that loved one lived a life worthy of Heaven, perhaps I’d celebrate that day in years to come as the day they made it. A feast day. And, if/when I get to Heaven too, I wonder what we’d think of the time we spent grieving. Will we think it was silly, but understandable due to our limited knowledge of God’s ways? I think our perspective on the love we had for others while on Earth will change. If, on the other hand, we continue to see our Earthly relationships the same way, we could raise all sorts of issues. Take for example someone who loses a spouse and re-marries. When they all meet up in Heaven are they going to duke it out to see who’s living where?
With marriage they say, “'till death do you part…” Perhaps post death, there isn’t a need for the connection as it was on Earth. Or worse, what if a couple gets separated and one ends up down below. Will Heaven not be such for the one who made it? It sounds sad now, but perhaps there’s a higher level of understanding that we will achieve.
I can certainly say that I hope my spouse, kids, relatives, and friends, and I make it to Heaven. While here on Earth I would even go so far as to point out our differing ideas with the hopes of creating conversation to help us better understand our faith so that we can all make it to Heaven. I pray that they don’t see my questioning of their opinions as accusing them of having something wrong with them. We’re all in this together and, out of love for each other, we must continue to compassionately question our opinions to fine tune our love for Him. But after final judgment, we’ll all have an understanding of what each person was given and what they did or didn’t do with that. (On a side note, with that in mind, suffering can be viewed as an opportunity.) And, although I don’t understand how this can be, I’m convinced that I would whole-heartedly agree with God’s judgment even if that meant my spouse and I were to be separated. Again, my point being, we, as currently imperfect creatures, can’t comprehend how we will think when we are completely purged of our sins and returned to our newly-risen, perfect bodies in God’s perfect Kingdom.
…I don’t believe He is to be our only love.
We are to love God with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our souls. While here on Earth we can accomplish this by proclaiming His glory through our love for His creations. When in Heaven, I suppose we’ll continue to love each other as a way of loving Him. Right!?