In the Season of Lent: Reflections on Life, Death and Faith
Liza A Pierce of “A Maui Blog” | Photos: Liza Pierce
Lent season is upon us, and it always invites a quiet kind of reflection. This time of year naturally draws our thoughts toward life, death and resurrection. But if I’m being honest, it’s not just Lent that has led me to pause and think more deeply … it’s the recent passing of two people dear to me.
My Aunt and Godmother, Ninang Loleng, lived a full and beautiful life to the age of 94. My friend Joel, on the other hand, passed at 63, far too soon by our standards. Two lives, two different timelines yet both reminding me of the same truth: life, no matter how long, is still fleeting.
And so, I find myself holding on to two simple but profound thoughts.
Life is short, so live in the moment.
We hear this often but moments like these give those words real weight. It’s easy to get caught up in routines, worries and plans for “someday.” We postpone joy, delay forgiveness and assume we’ll always have more time. But the reality is, time is never guaranteed.
Ninang Loleng lived into her 90s and it reminded me a long life is a blessing. Nevertheless, life eventually comes to an end. And Joel’s passing reminded me that sometimes, life doesn’t follow the timeline we expect.
So what do we do with that truth?
We cherish the people around us. We say “I love you” more often. We show up. We forgive. We laugh. We take the trip, make the call, write the message. We live, not perfectly but fully in the present moment.
Is there really life after death?
This is a question that has been asked for generations and the answer often depends on what one believes. For me, my faith gives me comfort and clarity. I believe there is life after death because of what Jesus has done.
In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” These words are not just poetic—they are a promise. A promise death is not the end but a transition into something greater.
Lent, after all, is not only about sacrifice and reflection. Lent leads us to Easter, to the story of resurrection. It reminds us after suffering comes hope and after death comes new life.
This belief doesn’t erase the pain of loss. Grief is real and it can be heavy. Ninang Loleng and my friend Joel are both missed by their family and friends. There are moments when their absence is deeply felt. But alongside that grief is a quiet sense of peace and a hope they are now in a place where there is no more pain, no more suffering.
And perhaps that is the balance we carry during this season: to grieve but not without hope; to reflect but not without faith.
As Lent continues, I am reminded to live more intentionally and to hold on more firmly to what I believe. Life is short but it is also meaningful. And death, while inevitable, is not the end of the story.
Liza Pierce of A Maui Blog is an Interactive Media enthusiast. She started blogging in 2006 and she loves talking story online and spreading aloha around the world. She’s been living on Maui since 1994 and considers Maui her home. A wife, a mother, a friend…and so much more. She loves Jesus; Maui Sunsets Catcher; Crazy About Rainbows; End Alzheimer’s Advocate. Her life is full and exciting here on the island of Maui. Liza is currently the Digital Media Specialist with Hawai‘i Life Real Estate Brokers. She is the author of the book Maui 2021 and Beyond.