The Funeral

I attended the funeral of a person I barely knew. A coworker's spouse. I went to support her, even though we weren't close.\n\nThe church was full. The eulogies were beautiful. People talked about the deceased like they had changed their lives.\n\nThen my coworker stood up to speak. She looked at the crowd. "I want to thank everyone for coming. But I need to say something honest."\n\nShe paused.\n\n"My husband wasn't perfect. He was difficult. He had demons he couldn't conquer. There were days I wanted to leave. But I didn't. Because love isn't about perfection. It's about staying through the hard parts."\n\nShe talked about his struggles with depression. His addiction. The nights she stayed up wondering if he'd make it. The mornings she found him still breathing.\n\n"I don't know if I did enough," she said. "But I know I loved him. And I hope he knew that."\n\nI sat in the back of the church, crying for a man I never knew. Because his wife's words reminded me that everyone is fighting a battle. And love is showing up anyway.\n\nI hugged my family tighter that night. I told them I loved them. And I meant it.