New Beginnings

Water Finds Its Own Level

I am thinking of my friend today as I start a new chapter. Whenever I stand at the threshold of something new—excited, nervous, and hopeful—my mind goes back to the conversations we used to have in his car, talking about everything and nothing.

Braithen had a way of seeing the world that was entirely his own. Tender-hearted, sharp-minded, and unapologetically himself, he taught me courage just by living his truth. He often shared a phrase with me that I am holding onto tightly today:

"Water finds its own level."

He meant that truth, quality, and spirit eventually find where they belong. We don't have to force the current; we just have to trust the flow. And as I trust that flow, I find myself thinking about where he is now.

Although the Bible never states that the dead become angels or literally return to guide us, it does portray those who have gone before us as alive with God and deeply connected to His ongoing work. Jesus says that in the resurrection we become “like the angels” (Matthew 22:30), sharing in their purity and closeness to God. Hebrews describes the faithful departed as a “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding and encouraging those still on the journey of life (Hebrews 12:1).

Scripture also shows the souls of the righteous in heaven actively engaged with God, as when the martyrs speak before Him in Revelation 6:9–10. Taken together, these images allow us to see the departed not as distant or inactive, but as part of God’s heavenly family—aware, alive, and participating in His loving purposes.

In this sense, I know Braithen is not gone. He is a spiritual witness supporting me through a love that death cannot diminish. As I step into this next phase of my life, I am comforted knowing he is part of that great cloud, cheering me on.

I love you, my brother. You are missed, deeply, and you are always in my heart.

IN LOVING MEMORY • BRAITHEN (1983–2011)