I Shall But Love Thee Better After Death

This past Friday, Gary and I visited Taylor's Island.   One of the places at which we stopped was an old Episcopal Church ......

We walked around the graveyard ... reading some of the stones ....

Graves of three little girls .... ages 4, 5 and 6  ... from the early 1800's

Lita ... aged 19 ... died 1877 ... "Made perfect through suffering"

Joseph ... age 74 ... died 1852 ... "A kind and affectionate husband and father"

At one point, I glanced up and saw the following two small stones leaning against each other .. and I thought of the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning .... "I shall but love thee better after death."

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.