Love is patient, Love is kind...

I attended a funeral Saturday for a friend's brother - I had not ever met him, and have only recently become close to the family because of our starting a new small group on Monday nights. It was a very wonderful service for a special needs kid who grew to be 41 and then succumbed to multiple strokes. It was tragic but also uplifting. There was a moment in the service that seemed worth sharing.
One of "Uncle Jimmy's" nieces, seventeen years old, entered to read scripture. She read from I Corinthians 13, which many know to be the "love" chapter, and it is most often used and read in Wedding ceremonies.
I'm not sure if I've ever heard it read at a funeral.
But as his niece was reading, it was fascinating. She read the words "love is patient, love is kind", and was overcome with emotion. It almost caught her by surprise, as she was reading and realized that she was describing her Uncle. That he was patient, he was kind, he was all the things that love is. Most of the time when we hear that verse at a wedding, it's all about inspiration to achieve that result. We are here,  and love is way over there, and if we can be patient and kind etc. with each other, then we will have found love. But he had found it, he exuded it, and it was all this sweet girl could do just to get the words out.
How cool it was to hear someone's eulogy spoken from the heart with the same verbs. Definitely gives you something to shoot for in this crazy life.
We had a great time getting to know the family on Saturday, and hung out at their house as long as we could. Made me wish I could have known this kind and patient man.
Sorry - didn't mean to curve ball the blog with something that wasn't ironic, sarcastic or silly. I'll do better next time...