"Leaving this man I loved, this house and life..."

Adapted from: "Heaven in Flight," by Elizabeth M. Kelly, from The Word Among Us, June 2008.

"As the plane left the ground, I felt an overwhelming, sharp grief, like my heart being torn from my center.

"Leaving this man I loved, this house and life I had had such hopes for, was more than I could bear alone.

"But during this same time, my boyfriend and I [had] discerned rather slowly and sloppily that we were not headed for marriage.

"With reluctance on my side, we [had] parted ways.

"I decided to return to Minnesota, where I was in graduate school, and prepare for spring semester.

"[Yes!] Leaving this man I loved, this house and life I had had such hopes for, was more than I could bear alone.

"And at the same moment, something else became as clear to me as if I could see it with my own eyes.

"In my heart, I saw that I was surrounded.

"In the aisles, standing over me, around me, hovering and entirely attentive was a communion of saints, the crew I called in when I needed rel reinforcements: Saints Anne, Elizabeth, Joseph, Pio, Joseph of Cupertino, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, the Archangels, my guardian angel, the Blessed Mother, all just hovering.

"And next to me, Jesus, holding my hand and stroking my hair.

"When we are heart - to - heart with Jesus, in the company of heavenly creatures, these heavy, ugly burdens we drag around are lightened and lifted.

"Oh, gentle crucified One, when hearts are weary, you are with us and that is more than enough."