How Do You Measure a Life?

As a clergy spouse, I am accustomed to having plans interrupted by funerals. But while my husband is very comfortable around death, i don't do so well.

Today I took the phone call saying that an elderly man in our congregation had passed away. I remember the first time that we met him. When we moved here six years ago we hosted parsonage gatherings and had everyone come to our home to meet us in groups. We had each person introduce themselves and tell a bit of their story. It was great because people were telling things to us that nobody else knew, and they were learning about each other. One of these things was disclosed by the man who slipped into eternity today. He told the group that he had married his wife (over sixty years ago now) because her father had offered him a cow.

In thinking about his life, and my father's who is near the same age, I am asking myself the question from the Musical Rent (whose trailer I saw yesterday at the theatre). How do you measure a year? How do you measure a life?

The lyrics say:

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love.
Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan.
525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?


In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.


It’s time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends.
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Remember the love!

Measure in love.
Seasons of love!
Seasons of love.

I guess that's the answer. A life, a year, a day is measured by love.