Beauty

Anne Carter

"I believe in the end the world will be saved by beauty."

Fyodor Dostoevsky

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her." Ephesians 5:25

On September 22, 1990, Anne Carter left the land of the dying and entered the Land of the Living. She is my mom. My dad tells me he thinks about her every day. '...and the two are united into one.' Genesis 2:24. The mystery of marriage, a picture of Christ and His bride, is to me the ultimate picture of beauty. Before mom became bedridden she would sit in the den and watch the world through the front windows. She loved flowers and trees, especially flowering Dogwoods. For a time she would start her day by looking at the dogwood sapling, planted before we knew she was sick. "I hope it blooms" she would say. I was doubtful. It was a sapling, too young to flower. I underestimated the power of love. One morning, there were flowers on mom's dogwood. My mom was elated. My dad helped her while, very slowly, she walked outside to see her tree. The cancer was draining her energy, and her vision. She never knew the flowers were silk, carefully and lovingly applied early that morning by my father's hand. He loved his bride. In that simple act my dad showed me an aspect of loving a wife as Christ loves the church. Thank you, Pop.