A few days ago I received an unexpected and sobering email.
Hedy, my best friend throughout our teenage years, had cried out in the night
from what turned out to be a burst cerebellar aneurysm deep in the brain. Within
minutes, she had passed into eternity.
We had studied at the same ballet school, worked hard and
sweated together, rehearsed and performed in the same troupe, shared our
dreams, disappointments, and triumphs, We helped each other through the
heartbreak of first crushes, family problems, school struggles, conflicts in
our dance world. We confided in one another about sorrows we could not bear to
discuss with anyone else.
Best of all, we laughed, long and hard, about so many
things. How much better and healthier than to cry over problems we could not control (Proverbs 17:22). Together we agonized
through stretching exercises, bandaged our blistered feet, and stuffed
cardboard and lambs’ wool in our pointe shoes to ease the pain.But we always found ways to make it fun!
We enjoyed studying pictures and
reading biographies of great ballerinas, learning about stage makeup, and rehearsing in
my family’s living room. We improvised to classical music recorded on LPs, and
choreographed ballets we dreamed we would produce one day.
When we were juniors in
high school, Hedy helped me get my first semi-professional gig as a ballet
dancer. She had heard of auditions at a local ballet company, and was
supportive and encouraging (Ephesians
4:2) rather than resentful when I was cast as a soloist.
But shortly thereafter,
time, space and plans separated us. I went off to college as a premed student
and she continued to pursue her ballet studies, supporting herself through odd
jobs at dance studios and working long hours, yet never too tired to
polish and her perfect her own craft.
In the years to come we seldom saw one another, yet the
bond between us could never be broken. Hedy was not only like a sister to me, but
also like a daughter to my mother when I moved out of state, accompanying her
on long trips to our family burial plot and responding quickly to emergencies. We
kept in touch through phone calls and mostly through long but sporadic letters.
Pouring out our hearts to one another on the written page was almost like
confiding in one another face to face.
As the years went on, our life paths continued to diverge,
even though we both continued to explore our love of dance. Hedy opened her own
dance studio and offered scholarships to underprivileged children, teaching
them by example her joy in dance, and the devotion, dedication and discipline
needed to advance in this unique art form that uses the human body as the instrument
of expression.
I became a neurologist, got married, had a son, and had a
successful career, first in academics and then in private practice. But I never
lost my joy in dancing, and began performing, competing and choreographing with
my husband and dance partner.
In 2000, my life took a dramatic turn. I was born again (John 3:1-8) by realizing that I
was a sinner in need of a Savior (Romans
3:23), and that Jesus Christ, Son of God and God Himself, came to earth
in human form (John 1:1-14).
He died on the cross as the perfect, sinless Sacrifice to
pay for all our sins, to reconcile sinful man to Holy God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Hebrews 2:17). He was buried
and rose again on the third day, so that all who trust Him as Lord and Savior
would have abundant, eternal life (1
Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16; 10:10).
Naturally, I wanted to share this life-changing experience
with Hedy, so I put it into words with pen on stationery, and prayed it would
touch her heart. Several months went by, and I wondered if I had offended her
or if she thought the pressures of my career had driven me off the deep end.
But then I received her letter and tore open the envelope
with trembling hands. She explained that she was shocked at first, but that she
valued my opinion enough to reflect carefully on what I had written. Praise
God, she too had trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior!
Hedy began seeking out Christian friends and listening to
Christian radio, and I prayed that she would find a Bible-preaching, loving
church home, to encourage others and be encouraged, and to worship God and
study His Word together (Hebrews 10:25).
What a blessing to learn, in that otherwise dismal email I
just received, that the grandmother of one of her students had invited Hedy to
go to church with her, and that Hedy had enjoyed attending services there!
Her memorial service was held at that church with more than
a hundred of her students and their families coming to pay their respects and
to honor the love she had shown them during her all-too-brief time with them.
We don’t understand why Hedy’s life was cut off so abruptly (James 4:14), but we can trust
that God has His reasons for bringing her home (Romans 8:28).
With God there are no coincidences, and it made me smile as
I thought of the church to which He had guided her. The church is about a 15
mile drive from where Hedy grew up, lived, and had her school. And yet, it is
within walking distance of the home where I grew up and where Hedy visited me
often for teenage sleepovers.
When I was a young girl, long before I knew Christ, I used
to walk or bike around our neighborhood (in the days and in a town when and
where it was safe for children to explore their community without close adult
supervision). I always felt drawn to the church that Hedy would end up joining
decades later. Sometimes when I felt troubled or just needed to think things
over, I would park my bike outside and go in, for it was always left unlocked
even though no one was there.
Once inside I was always struck by the quiet, so profound that I could
hear the rustling of air molecules in my ears. Often I would pray silently to
God, although I didn’t yet know Him. Thank God that He knew me and a plan for me since before the beginning of time, drawing me to Himself (Jeremiah 29:11; Acts 17:27).
Thank God that He had a plan for Hedy too, and that He allowed me the awesome
privilege of being the one to tell her about Him! (1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
Praise God for friends who encourage and support us,
sharing our burdens as well as our joy (Ecclesiastes
4:12; Galatians 6:2). For the Christian, death of a loved one in
Christ brings sorrow as we miss them on earth, for they cannot return to us,
yet we know that we will one day go to them, praise God! (2 Samuel 12:23).
This gives us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and the joy of
anticipating that blessed and lively hope (Titus
2:13; 1 Peter 1:3) of living with Him and with one another throughout eternity (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18).
One day Hedy and I will meet again, praising Him with dance! (Psalm 149:3; 150:4)
Perhaps we will dance before His throne the dances we choreographed as
teenagers but never had a chance to perform!
© 2016 Laurie Collett
