Out of the blue, last Friday night came the phone call that rattled my world: “Your brother has died.” Wow! What goes through your mind at a time like that? A Lot! My mind was reeling, thinking about how my Dad was coping, the travel plans that I had to make, my sadness and yet the lack of sadness.

I’m not a overly-emotional person and this isn’t the first time that I was taken back by my own reaction to the death of a loved one. “What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I break down and cry? It’s OK, it’s expected.”  But, in this case at least, the tears never came.

My stoicism aside, the more I thought about Donnie’s life and death, the more I realized that it’s not a tragedy at all. Absolutely, we will miss him- especially his wife, Debbie who only had him for a few short months since their 3 month old marriage wasn’t even out of the honeymoon stage. But, ultimately, all the reasons for tears are self serving ones. We cry because of what we have lost, but I began to consider what Donnie has gained since Friday.

My brother’s life has never been easy. From his early years, he was hobbled by a learning disability that always seemed to separate him from the other kids. The disability wasn’t as severe as that of some kids, but it was enough to be noticed as “different” …and we all know, it’s usually a curse to be labeled as different in the classroom or on the playground. To his credit, Donnie saw the world a little differently, too. He was the eternal optimist that didn’t have the ability to ever be sceptical. He always saw the best in everyone he ever met. Naturally, he was often taken advantage of. The rest of us often didn’t live up to the faith that he put in us.

As a teenager, Donnie was diagnosed with diabetes. This was, as it turned out, the beginning of the end. The diabetes led to many and various complications from the amputation of toes to a severe heart complication that ultimately claimed his life. Through it all, Donnie remained upbeat and optimistic - always planning things he wanted to do down the road.

But one thing that he had that couldn’t be taken away was his faith in Jesus. Donnie placed his trust in his Savior as a teenager and this faith was foremost in his life from there after. One of his joys was to pass out Christian literature to friends and strangers alike.

So, my thoughts finally came to what it was that Donnie had gained. And it was A Lot!  Words of condolence are usually shallow as well as hollow. We always say, “He’s in a better place, now” with a conviction that sounds more like wishful thinking than a firm faith in our Redeemer. Donnie’s funeral service fully served to highlight that it was, without a doubt, a joyous occassion. Yes, there were tears, but there were also plenty of smiles and praises to God.

Donnie no longer was restricted by all those things that held him back on this dirt. Donnie was reunited with his beloved Mother who he missed every day of his life. Donnie finally has met the brother or sister that was miscarried some 30 years ago. And Donnie is finally in the arms of his Lord and Savior, the one who has loved him the most. Yes, our loss is Don’s gain and I’m more than happy to suffer the loss for his benefit. So long, Donnie. Some day soon, I’ll be there and I expect you and Mom to be ready to give me the tour!