For Keziah

The sun shone blissfully through the large windows. Light flicked from some of the wooden surfaces and reflected prettily onto the walls of the church. The patterns could almost have been angels, I thought to myself from behind the piano; almost. Outside of course, the blue sky was perfectly laden with candyfloss clouds, and a gentle breeze was rippling silently through the treetops, softly changing their leafy colours and tickling their branches.

It was Keziah's farewell. Hundreds of us, brightly coloured and swimming in tears, gathered to celebrate the life of a girl who had shown us what it meant to be alive. Life, it seems, is there for the living, and in twenty years; no, in the four and a half years that Keziah was known to us, she lived more than most Christians live in a lifetime.

Extraordinary, and quite surreal it was. Just beforehand, someone asked me how I was feeling and I heard myself say that I simply wasn't sure. Deep within, there was joy and there was sorrow, mixed up, shaken together in this crazy way that made no sense. And I think that feeling must have been in the air because it permeated throughout the whole afternoon. As Yinka got up to share his reflections he broke down and sobbed quietly from the front. At the exact same moment, quite unaware I suppose, the entire congregation tried to sit down and burst into a giggly chatter as they navigated their way to the carpet. I found it strangely poignant.

There were other poignant moments of course. The standing ovation, the video that captured her heart so well, the rousing praise, and the love for God that almost tangibly filled the room as Alex, Keziah's fiance, thanked God for the time he had had with her. I don't know whether I would have had the strength to say this:

"I just want to bow down to thank and praise the LORD for creating the most amazing, loving and pure hearted person I ever knew. And even more, I want to thank Him for the pleasure, honour and delight of knowing, loving and being loved by you in such measure.

You were the most wonderful gift God ever gave me, and every second of the time you spent borrowed from God in my arms and by my side was treasured and priceless to me, full of joy and love.

I cannot be sad, as you have returned to your rightful place in the heavenly realms, where a spirit as large, bright and colourful as yours belongs.

I believe and trust with every essence of my being in the Glory of God in every situation, and that your short presence here is, and will forever continue to bear blessed fruit in the hearts of those who loved you and were loved by you.

We will meet again in the majesty of His Holy Kingdom." - Alex Theobald on Facebook.

Love, tears, joy, peace and wonder, collided for a moment. The colours swirled together as I looked out across the sea of faces. So many familiar smiles, so many lovely lovely people who were part of something - who are part of something, made complete and whole in the Presence of God. Not for the first time, love for Keziah, love for my friends and my family - and love for God, overwhelmed me like an ocean wave. It was a moment of Heaven.

And I don't think anything could have been more appropriate.