We think that the world is as it appears. But what appears is not necessary the whole picture. Reality many times is bigger than what we see and observe.
There were two identical twin girls, Amy and Anne in the womb of their mother. They had been there for the last eight months. Life was very enjoyable for the twins. There was a constant source of food for each of them, their home was warm and cosy. They enjoyed the lovely soft water that enveloped them. They slept and played. One of their favorite games was kickboxing!
One day, they got into an argument. Amy said that how much she was looking forward to the day when she could see the mommy face to face. Anne said, how do you know there is a mommy? Amy said, well of course there is a mommy, look at how wonderful our life is. We couldn’t have this if there was no mommy. Anne said, well, if there is a mommy: show her to me. If I can’t see her, I don’t believe there is one.
Amy couldn’t show Anne the mommy, but she could feel her presence and her love. The discussion and argument went on for about a month. Amy used to say to Anne, you have to believe, you have to trust. And Anne would respond, ‘Stop being so simple, so naive. Use your mind and put your trust only in that which your mind can determine.’
Then one day their world became quite agitated. The walls started squeezing them into a small space. Amy cried out, Mommy I know you are out there. I need you now. Anne just cried and cried. She was at a total loss trying to understand what was happening. Her mind couldn’t explain it. She was full of fear. Finally she called out, mommy, I hope you exist because I am afraid and need someone to calm my fear.
And the twins were born. After the initial shock of it all, they both felt the warmth and the love they had felt in their former home. Anne realized that Amy was right. There is a mommy. The warmth she felt before and feels now was the very presence of mommy.
You see, the reality we do not see is more powerful, more certain, has a deeper truth than the reality that we do see. It is important to remember this. When sickness, trauma, or tragedy hit us, when our loved ones become ill, injured or die, remember that there is more in life than we can see. There is a deeper reality. A deeper meaning.
As the fourth century Saint John Chrysostom said “Let us not then be disturbed, neither dismayed, when trials befall us. For if the gold refiner sees how long he ought to leave the piece of gold in the furnace, and when he ought to draw it out, and does not allow it to remain in the fire until it is destroyed and burnt up: much more does God understand this, and when He sees that we have become more pure, He releases us from our trials so that we may not be overthrown and cast down by the proliferation of our evils.”