Love For A Lifetime – My Book To The World by Cliff Hazelbaker II
I am sitting quietly in my Dad’s office. I am listening intently to the voice of my Father that now only resides in my spirit. I patiently hope for just a whisper, but know that the whispers are gone. I can’t begin to tell you how much I miss and long for his voice, his words, his wisdom… so I won’t, but I will have to admit that today was a difficult day. It was one year ago today that we found out he had cancer and his time on earth was shorter than what we had all hoped for. The pain of that day will forever live in our hearts and I don’t care what anyone says…the pain of his absence will live forever and that I am sure of. My only hope is that we will see his sweet face again someday.
In a moment of weakness Me and my sister Tammy had decided to go into his office and rummage through some of his things which is something that is still very hard to do and of all the days to do it it just so happens that today we stummbled upon a treasure that he had left for us to find!! Dad had started a book! I want so badly to share with the world what he had started, but I can only bring myself to pleasure you with a small part in hopes that one day we could finish his book for him and give the rest to you.
He was an amazing man. He was filled with such great hope and love. He wanted everyone to know how perfect they were and that God loved them unconditionally. He wanted to shout it from the roof top and I think that is where this book came in to play. It was a way for him to shout it out.
I want to share with you his introduction.
INTRODUCTION
I do not know if this book will be of interest to even a single soul, but I am still driven to write it in defense of the power of people dedicated to loving each other for a lifetime. I see so many young people wanting to love, and facing so much negative discouragement from this world in which we live. Someone must let them know that they can face every storm. They can endure every trial. They can suffer all sorts of difficulties, and still remain people of love. And this “Love for a Lifetime” is not dependent on how much money they have, or how successful they are, or what title is in front of their name. “Love for a Lifetime” is the product of realization, decision, dedication, and desire. This book is not only for the young who desire love, but even for those who seem to have lost sight of a life of love. No matter where you are now in your relationship to this powerful word “Love”, stop, and ask yourself the simple question: Is it possible to Love for a lifetime? All that is needed is to start there, and as you move toward that goal you will realize that it is a goal worth working for. You will find an inward peace and happiness that can come only from building a lifelong relationship with the only thing that truly lasts. I was fortunate to witness my parents love each other passionately for a lifetime, revealing to me something more powerful then their love for each other, but the real power was their love for love itself, and to see the glory of that love which could not have been purchased with all the gold in the world. I am also fortunate enough to continue with their example, and I fully expect to love my wife and to be loved by her for my entire lifetime. This book is a “Can Do” book to encourage all my fellow travelers on this earth to make love a priority. Not only in marriage, but also in every relationship you have. It is even possible to love your enemies, because the more you love, the more you want to, and finally there can be no room in your heart, except to love.
At the end of this life when we are at the door of being reborn and we have one foot in this world and the door is opened with the other foot on the other side…we turn and face the tears of those that we are leaving behind and without shedding a tear we are filled with all of the answers we have ever wanted to know and that is that all of the money in the world didn’t matter. None of the knowledge of politics or religion mattered. None of the judgements mattered and we realize in that very glorious moment that the only purpose we had and the only thing that mattered was the knowledge of Love and I truly believe it is the only thing we take with us in the next life.
