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Bear one another's burdens!

A voice message reaches me via WhatsApp. I get to know that an elderly man has started his last journey of life. At the same time, the question resonates whether I could come again. I rearrange my daily schedule and set off to see him. An hour's drive. When I arrive, the whole family is there with children, grandchildren and friends. When I go to the old man's room, he is asleep. We start to celebrate a service with the family at his bedside. I ask him if a Bible word had been particularly important to him? "Bear one another's burdens!" I take my shopping bag that I brought with me. It has this very word written on it. When I ask how the father lived this word, many share very concrete experiences. We feel as if heaven is opening up. We feel that the love he lived can be experienced alive among us. He sleeps, love remains. A moment between heaven and earth. Eternity already shines in our tears.