Life is a Dance Toward God

Caroline Watkins
Caroline Watkins

This phrase leapt off the page of a book I just finished, Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller, and it bubbled up on Saturday during the funeral service/ celebration of life I attended for a 6-year-old girl who died tragically last week.

Some of you know one of my favorite movies is Harold and Maude, and some of you may find that somewhat disturbing. Yet I see this film as one not about death, but life. Nevertheless, one of the primary characters, Maude, habitually attends the funerals of perfect strangers. I, in fact, did have a close connection with the precious little girl, Charlotte, who was the niece of a coworker and friend.

Two things happened during this powerful service: I took a couple of discreet notes (which I have never done during a funeral) and I took note which, as a believer and writer, I try to do every single day.

In her eulogy the minister described Charlotte as “fiercely competitive” and “fiercely affectionate” which are, apparently, two sides of the same truth. I wish to understand this but actually, I don’t. At least not yet.

In one of the many remembrances, a friend of the family quoted Viktor Frankl: “We cannot, after all, judge a biography by its length, by the number of pages in it; we must judge by the richness of the contents. Sometimes the ‘unfinisheds’ are among the most beautiful symphonies.” The minister and family friend, respectively, offered that Charlotte’s parents knew how to “really love a child” and loved each other “fiercely and abundantly.” I’m not sure I have ever heard a more beautiful tribute.

During the service I found myself placing an arm around the “stranger” next to me who was weeping; and after absorbing the ever-consistent remarks about Charlotte’s affectionate nature, I later reflected upon CS Lewis’s words: “Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.”

The experience also conjured up some words that I myself had written to God recently: It is so hard to believe in You at times (like these), . . . yet impossible not to.

The most surprising as well as enduring thought I had about this 6-year-old girl was the impact she had on so many who knew her, as well as on those who did not, including me. Upon embracing her aunt afterwards, I mentioned quietly that I wanted to write about Charlotte. What I didn’t mention was this: I want to BE like her.

You see, Charlotte’s life was nothing short of a Dance Toward God.

My last column which ran only online and not in print is entitled F.E.A.R., which is not entirely inappropriate as Charlotte’s lack thereof seemed indisputable. As a matter of fact, these poignant words were spoken of her: “She was never scared . . .  to love . . .  anybody.”

Wow.

– Caroline Watkins

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